We heard that there was going to be a Halloween Parade right in front of our apartment today, however we didn’t realize it was going to start at our end of the street. Everyone, both 2 legged and 4 legged, was out in their costumes today. Thanks to the Alexandria Police Department for another superb job keeping things safe.
Things you should know:
Still here? Great! Carry on.
For the first time in my life, I’m going to try my hand at business. After reading books, listening to podcasts, and telling others what I think of their ideas, it’s time to make it happen.
I want to try something new.
A couple of years ago I decided to try and “advance my career” by getting all manner of computer certifications to supposedly make me more marketable. So for four months I knocked out the Network+, Security+, and CISSP certifications. How did it affect my work or pay? Nothing changed. I looked around at other jobs. I even applied to some but no traction. Honestly, I realized I didn’t want an IT or computer security job. Neither really excited me.
Last year I went back to school. MIT offered an electrical engineering class online. I, along with 125,000 people, signed up for it. Five thousand of us passed. I learned a lot and it felt great completing the class. I like rigorous academia mostly because it gives me new thoughts to apply to the world around me. I asked myself if it was the right time to go back to school. I decided that the timing was not right. Two to six years later I could emerge back into the real world with just a head full of knowledge working for a gigantic widget maker. No, it just didn’t feel right.
I want to make something, I want it to help me produce an income, and I want to make a difference while doing it. At this time I’m going to try and answer these desires by starting a low risk business. I’ll learn, plan, and give it a shot like I’ve done the past two years with my other ideas. I’m starting this new venture with a couple of things in mind.
To start a business, all you really have to do in the Federal government’s eyes is sell something or provide a service for money. Ex: If Bob sells a set of pigs feet to his brother Darrell and his other brother Darrell, Bob can call that a business. It can be reported on his federal taxes as such. Bam! You’re a business.
Although the federal government would be mostly satisfied with this arrangement, the state/city/county likes to complicate things a bit. They want sales tax, fees, business property tax, etc. They are not satisfied until you’ve gone to a permit office or a court house and signed things, however in Virginia the government has simplified the process. You can get most of this process done by going to the Virginia Business One Stop.
For $20 they’ll walk you through setting up a business from choosing a business type, to getting a tax id number, to registering for collecting sales tax. It’s all fairly simple to follow.
Before you go through the One Stop process, you will want to choose a business entity type. There are 3 common types:
For my first attempt at this, I’ve chosen the sole proprietorship. My products are low liability, so the probability of being sued at this juncture is low. Also, I’m not going to pay for an LLC when I don’t even know if this venture is going to work in the first place. One piece of advice I was given was to wait until I’ve made at least $10,000, to acquire an LLC.
As you progress through the One Stop process, you will find that your business is going to need a federal tax number. If you chose sole proprietorship, you have the option of just using your own social security number. Don’t do it. The tax identification number will be handed out to everyone and there is even a possibility that it could be published in a public government document. Also, getting an EIN from the IRS helps keep your business and personal finance separate. Just a quick note, for some reason the IRS will not issue an EIN on the weekend (even online).
If you are doing business using a name other than your own, you must register a fictitious name with the state and with your local government. For instance, if your name is Bob Smith and you want to do business as Roadside Pig’s Feet, then you must register the name Roadside Pig’s Feet. Registering with Virginia is easy and is done in the online process. When you’ve finished registering with the state, they will give you documents to take to the city or county. These documents will allow you to register your fictitious name with the local municipality.
I had to go to two offices to finalize everything. First, it was off to the courthouse to register my business name and second, I had to visit the permits office to ensure I could run the business I wanted from the location I wanted. Two weeks later I received my business license in the mail.
One of the last steps in the process is registering for sales tax. If you are providing certain goods or services, you are required to charge your customers sales tax. Certain customers are sales tax exempt such as government entities and other companies who are just going to resell your product. Virginia requires small businesses to pay this sales tax online through their website. After registering at http://tax.virginia.gov, you will be required to file sales tax every month even if you sell nothing. During the registration process, you will be given a certificate that gives you the right to collect sales tax from a customer.
I expect the next few months to be crazy. I’ll be updating this blog from time to time with more details on the business. At the moment I’m learning about manufacturing but more on that later.
Thanks to everyone for you encouragement this past month while writing all those articles about our vacation to Mexico. While we were there we also got a lot of video footage, so a cobbled this together from all the pieces. Have a great day!
Hello! This is Brandy (Jason’s wife). Jason is graciously allowing me to guest post here as today’s project doesn’t really fit in over on my page, One is Hungry.
So, if you have been reading this page for awhile, you know that this spring we moved into a new apartment. In the intervening months we have slowly been filling that glorious new space with treasures lifted from Craigslist and second hand shops. While scouting Craigslist recently I happened upon Donation Nation in Gaithersburg, Maryland, a recently opened haven for the redistribution of unwanted wares. Anything that fits on the scale is a dollar per pound, everything else is negotiable. It is fantastic; if you live in the DMV area you should definitely give it a look. Long (but interesting) story short, I walked backward out of the store at the front end of a 100+ year old purple pew!
Here I have to state that I was taking a bit of a risk. Jason is notorious for not liking the color purple. I made a detailed plan of three options for the color. Purple doesn’t go with anything in our home, so I certainly wasn’t viewing the proposal to change the color as a hard sell. What is the first thing that contrary man said upon seeing it? “That is so cool. Can we keep the purple?!”. . .So, negotiations ensued; I was all for natural, unvarnished wood or high gloss black. Jason wanted “pop”. In the end, we matched his new, extremely red, telephone.
Tools and Supplies:
Prep:
So, the inspiration for the red paint came not only from Jason’s favorite phone, but from a gorgeous, glossy, knock-out of a dresser on a blog called Natty by Design. While my project in no way attained the liquid luster of her piece, her tips, and those of one of her commenters on another post (see Wende in the comments section) were immensely helpful in pulling this together.
First the hardware had to be removed. The small history that came attached to the pew said the hardware was solid brass. . . Be wary of such statements. It turned out that only the aisle number plate was solid brass, the rest was brass plated. Tarnish had all but destroyed the plating and cleaning washed it utterly away. The great tip from Wende (mentioned above) about using boiling water in combination with salt and vinegar did wonders for the one actual brass piece. I combined 2 inches of boiling water with 1/2 c. white vinegar and 1/4 c. kosher salt. There was still a bit of discoloration that I touched up with Brasso; the other pieces, frame, hat clips, and screw heads got a lick of liquid brass gilding.
So, sanding. Do it well, do it with multiple coarseness-es of paper, and, if ever in doubt, go with the grain of the wood! Wear eye protection, a breathing mask, and, if using a power sander, ear plugs. If you are sanding inside, consider building a tent by taping or tacking plastic drop-clothes from the tops of the walls or ceiling. It keeps the dust confined to one easily cleanable space! This was my first time ever using a power sander, and I liked it! On the straight aways it saved loads of time. I did an all over sand with medium and then fine paper, using sandpaper and a block for the detail work and tight curves. When you’ve finished sanding vacuum the piece thoroughly and wipe with mineral spirits or water dampened cloth.
Paint:
First, be prepared to open all the windows in your house or you will slowly asphyxiate. On the first coat I chose to thin the paint to the maximum recommended amount of 5% with mineral spirits (I neglected to do this on the second and regretted it). For a first coat it was beautiful. After waiting overnight for it to dry I did the sanding. Sanding between coats of paint, especially gloss paint, is highly recommended. Unfortunately, no one told my new power sander that this twixt-coat sanding was supposed to be more of a buff than strip. Even using fine grain paper it still took off far too much paint. Live and learn, right?
So, with a disheartening amount of purple showing through I moved on to coat two, and quickly realized there would be a coat three. Between the second and third I did a light hand sanding with extra-fine grain paper.
Finish:
Well, it is by no mean perfect, but it is finished, we are pleased, and we can now start inviting friends over for dinner since we have somewhere to seat them other than the floor.
What I learned (or “What I knew but didn’t take the time to think about because I was super excited to get this done!”):
When people recount to me stories of their visit to Mexico there’s quite often a part when someone says, “…then there was that day(s) we were sick.”
I consider myself a reasonably seasoned traveler and have a few simple rules.
At Playa Viva all drinking water is put through a reverse osmosis filter. Check. All the food is prepared by an awesome chef, Abraham, or several other incredible cooks. What doesn’t come out of the garden, comes out of the refrigerator and is well cooked. Even the seafood in the ceviche is blanched before served. Check. Finally, a few people had some rough hours from time to time but nobody had been seriously ill since we had arrived. Check, check, and check.
Little did I know, but for several days my body had been harboring a nasty stow away that I had picked up from some wary traveler and several hours into the evening I was to experience Petatlán, Mexico’s local town healthcare system.
…is one of the only Spanish phrases I remember from high school and probably just grammatically butchered. However, when I stepped out of the back alley and into the waiting room of the 24 hour clinic, the phrase’s English equivalent was the only vocabulary I could utter.
I had come to the decision that I needed a doctor by use of a self test I’ve perfected over the last 10 years. If after vomiting I use the sentence, “Wow, I didn’t know there was that much liquid in my body,” it’s time to go. Through experience I have learned that when I am surprised by the volume of liquid exiting my person, that staggering amount of fluid is no longer in my body and must quickly be replaced.
The office wasn’t much to look at. The waiting room had an old couch and their were a couple of chairs here and there. After entering the doctor’s office (his literal office), I laid beside his desk on a single cot that was directly below the only air conditioner I had seen in a week. I answered a few questions about my health through my gracious translator Julia, the manager at Playa Viva, and then the magic happened.
This doc and his nurse fixed me up quick. Before I could blink there was a needle in my arm and within an hour’s time they filled me with antibiotics, anti-nausea, fever reducer, and two bags of IV fluids. As I listened to the lady one room over giving birth, the cold liquid pumped through my veins at an incredible rate. When I finally stood up and walked out, my body was in a weird limbo of confusion. He told us to come back the next day and as we drove away I realized, no one filled out a single document.
We did go back the next day. I was prescribed an antibiotic and Brandy got some because she had started to feel a little under the weather. So, doctors fee, two bags of fluid, intravenous drugs, two visits, and prescription meds … Total: $240 USD and still no paperwork.
As we arrived back at the resort, I crashed on the couch and was to remain there for the rest of the day.
I slept well that night and woke the next day a few pounds lighter but with more color and feeling a lot better. David, one of the co-owners, had shown up two days before and after breakfast we found ourselves chatting about the power system and several minutes later I was given a personal tour.
Playa Viva originally had a 36 solar panel system and later they stepped it up with 24 more panels. David said that because of the advances in solar panels, the 24 they bought most recently produces the same output as the original 36. As the system has grown, so has their knowledge of producing energy more efficiently.
Case in point is the implementation of a diesel generator for backup power. In the beginning the backup generator would turn on to feed power to the complex whenever the batteries were running low. The generator would burn diesel while the batteries charged up from the solar panels. Over time, however, they modified the system a bit. Now when the batteries get low and it’s not a particularly sunny day, the generator only kicks on to charge the batteries. This type of system, which is similar to a hybrid vehicle, proved to be more efficient and saved on diesel.
David commented that not only are the solar panels eco-friendly but they are also economically helpful. To get power from the grid would require a sizable payment to the local utility company. The costly line would have to be run from the local village several miles away but for now the existing solar system supplies the energy needs for the complex. The resort would have to scale up dramatically to make the investment even worthwhile but David commented scaling to that size wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.
Correction 7/21/2013: I have been informed since the publication of this article that the current generator at Playa Viva is powered by LP gas but future plans call for a bio-diesel system. The diesel will be made on site.
When Brandy and I travel, we pick spots for a reason. We don’t generally stay at hotels. We prefer a bed and breakfast. We don’t like huge crowds but we do enjoy a few friends. We like to meet people and hear about their lives and on this trip we were not disappointed. Below are just a few of the interesting people we came across.
To all the people we met, we would like to say You Are Inspirational! You all have made our lives richer. May God continue to bless your endeavors and may your lives keep motivating and enriching others.
For those wanting to read about our full adventure, I’ve listed the articles below.
Nothing gets the crowd going like a turtle release. Part of Playa Viva being an eco-resort is that they have a turtle sanctuary on the property. One of the perks of being a guest is getting to see the little guys being released in the mornings. When a new batch hatches, they are freed on the beach in front of the resort area.
As soon as they are poured out of the bucket, the race is on. What impressed me most about these little guys is how tough they are. After flailing their way through the sand, they finally reach the surf where they are violently sucked out to sea, spun around in a couples of waves, and sometimes pushed back onto shore. Inevitably they find a way to get some distance from land, come up for a few gulps of air, and push on into the ocean.
We read, we relaxed, we drank coconut water. Ahhh….vacation.
“Are you going on a hike? You must go up by the lake. The birds are out today.” Julia, the manager at Playa Viva, had been on a hike earlier in the day and was enthusiastically recommending to us a route we were sure to enjoy. You can drink only so much fresh coconut water so we decided it was time to explore the many trails cut through the green landscape. We strapped on our sandals and headed up the trail for an adventure.
The first thing we noticed was that there are a ton of lizards in the area. As we walked along the dirt road, they darted out everywhere. Every 20 steps we took, the bushes would shake and out ran a critter.
We eventually made it to the small lake Julia referred to us and she completely undersold it. The lake and the trees surrounding it were covered in cranes, storks, and flamingos. As we approached, one quarter of the lakes population decided I was too close and began circling overhead looking for a new perch. It was fantastic.
Along the rest of the trail we met a horse that we were later to learn is called “Horse.” We also came across some beautiful mango trees and finally the beast.
While walking through a particularly thick, green part of the trail around the backside of the lake, we saw the beast dart into the undergrowth ahead of us. At first I only caught sight of the hind quarters. It was orange (Brandy description: Red/Gold) in color with fur and had a fluffy tail. It had the build of a medium sized dog but it moved like a cat. I could see evidence of strong muscles as it moved through the forest.
Not knowing how to react, we waited several seconds and continued on only to find another specimen of the same variety ten minutes later. This time Brandy caught full sight of it. She described the face as being halfway between a cat and a raccoon. At the time we labeled it the exotic Mexican cat-bear and went, all be it more cautiously, on our way.
Upon our arrival back at the resort we describe this beast to several of the locals and we were told it was this:
http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/animal,tejon/Interesting
The pictures you are seeing are of a Mexican Tejon. It’s looks like the mix between a badger and a raccoon and it is definitely not what we saw. When we returned home we still couldn’t shake the fact that what we saw was different, so to the interwebs we did go. After about 20 minutes we found our animal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguarundi
We immediately sent an email back to the resort and here is the actual reply.
Well, I just showed this pic to Julia and she screamed. These are endangered. The fact that there are any is a very good sign. Serafin saw these about two years ago, we showed the pic to him too, and no one believed him!!!! This is amazing. We are going to forward the pics to David and hopefully get their pics in the book! This is also really great because it means that Playa Vivas preservation efforts are bringing animals back to the area. Yay!!! Thank you so much sharing this!!! -Amy
The animal you see is consider in danger of extintion, jaguar, Serafin the maintenance guy see them 2 years ago, may be the same. It´s so exciting I´ll check more when I walk around Playa Viva. It´s very nice to see that this Jaguars chose Playa viva as their home. -Julia
Although Wikipedia does not show the animals as being threatened, in this part of Mexico the animal’s habitat has been steadily shrinking and sightings have become less frequent. The staff was very excited that all their hard work is paying off.
While we were there a farmer had started clear cutting the land around Playa Viva to make way for cattle. As a result much of the wildlife was taking refuge on the resort’s land. Also, a developer came to look at the property. We had a side conversation with his architect. The developer wanted to put a 200 room hotel further down the beach on the land he owned and the architect was trying to convince him otherwise. As the architect put it, “This is the country. You shouldn’t do that sort of thing out here. It doesn’t fit. It’s not sustainable. You have to build to your surroundings.” Wise man.
In the next post I’ll be showcasing Playa Viva’s solar power grid and will introduce you to Poncho the Frog. Also, I’ll be sharing some of our best memories.
The night had only yielded three more bug bites from the previous day, so I counted my midnight bathroom break a success. It was morning and in only three days time, I had developed the habit of jumping in the ocean upon crawling out of the mosquito net. I found that a morning ocean dip helped cauterize the previous night’s wounds.
Today however I decided to try something different before my plunge. I had made up my mind to go beach jogging and would continue to do so a couple more times throughout the trip. I expected my legs would be entirely worn out but I didn’t expect the cuts and scrapes from the seashells on the bottom of my feet. This morning and each morning after, I came across these guys.
They would spend most of the morning walking up and down the beach catching bait. Later during the day you could usually see a boat out fishing just off shore but I couldn’t be sure it was the same guys.
After my run and my daily fall into the ocean, I learned that this morning was a yoga morning. Several days a week Playa Viva offers yoga classes.
Now yoga. I’ve tried yoga, usually with Brandy, and have seen a variety of teachers. The different types are as follows:
Amy Zimmerman, our instructor and resident massage therapist, fell in with the balanced approach. We got to know Amy during our 10 day stay. She’s been doing yoga and massage for 15 years and is currently traveling the globe while plying her trade. We were lucky enough to have arrived during her several month stay at Playa Viva.
During class Amy was quick to walk around and help people. No one was left behind. She was patient, professional, and knowledgeable. She’s a great teacher.
Later during the trip, Brandy started having some significant muscle pain in her neck. Usually she would have to go to her chiropractor to get things worked out, but without a chiropractor on site, she decided to try massage for the first time. Amy did a fantastic job. Brandy went from having no mobility in her neck to being able to turn it again within hours. By the next day the therapy had done wonders. So if any resort out there is looking to hire a fantastic yoga instructor and massage therapist then contact Amy.
Johnny, resident all around guy of everything, asked us all if we would like to participate in a staff vs. guests soccer game to which most of us replied in the affirmative.
I’ve never played soccer with people who knew how to play soccer. I didn’t grow up with it, so every time I played some semblance of the game in the past, I recall it involving a lot more contact. Eventually someone would get tired of the uselessness of trying to kick the ball and would pick it up. The game then became “kill the man with the ball.”
The game started with me on the team of the two playing staff members, Johnny and Abraham. Midway I had to run to the restroom and when I got back the teams were all turned around. Anyway,the pictures below say a lot more than I can write.
What I learned about playing soccer on the beach in Mexico:
What a day! Busy times. Join me next time when I discuss releasing baby turtles, food, and other vacation-ly things. If you missed them, here’s Part 1 and Part 2.
…is a saying I heard from my Dad on many occasions. Working in security, you learn a few things about international travel.
We had signed up the day before to go on a trip to a local farm. The brochure had mentioned chocolate. No other convincing was needed. We were to meet this morning at 8:00 am to leave. Johnny, Playa Viva’s tour guide/bartender/concierge/translator/purveyor of awesome, was to be our leader.
Today we will be taking ATV’s (four wheelers) to the farm. It will take about 1 and 1/2 hours. If you look at the farthest mountain ridge on the horizon, that is where we are going. There is no electricity. We will space out the ATVs because of the dust on the dirt roads that lead up to the ranch. Two people will sit on the back of each ATV and I’ll take two small people on mine. –Johnny
Rural, mountainous Mexico, check. Arrive at unknown destination via backwoods dirt roads, check. Disobey warning of the US government, check. All aboard!
(Note: At no time during the trip did I feel as though my life were threatened in any way. Playa Viva has round the clock security plus the Mexican Army and Marines had stepped up their patrols in the area prior to our departure.)
The merry band of travelers.
After seeing the electric poles end, we crossed over the top of a mountain ridge and arrived at the farm. Jesus, the owner, quickly stepped off of his front porch and greeted us all warmly. We were then escorted to an outdoor pavilion adorned with hammocks and colorful plastic chairs. Jesus talked to us about the farm and his family while Johnny translated.
Jesus entertaining his guests.
The farm primarily grows coffee and cacao but also has a huge variety of crops. He told us no chemicals or pesticides were used on any of his crops. All crops are fertilized with natural fertilizer, and the only crops that get any other type of fertilizer is the corn because the government sells corn that requires it. Any corn he tries to get elsewhere has poor yields. Incidentally the government will sell you the fertilizer as well.
They raise all manner of animals: pigs, chickens, cats, donkeys, and birds. While we were there, we noticed the baby chickens and the kittens eating under the table together. When we asked how this works, Jesus said they are content to be this way.
Because of their remoteness, they have a pavilion on the property to host a local church and also due to the remoteness, the newest member of their family was recently born on the farm. The baby was so new when we arrived that he didn’t even have a name yet.
Brandy and the newest member of Jesus’s family. Homemade wine on table to left.
After talking to us for awhile, Jesus then took us on a tour of the farm showing us trees, produce, farm animals, and the land. He explained that the farm did have electricity. They had acquired a solar panel that charged a 12V battery. This was there sole electrical power source. As we continued to follow our guide, the ladies of the farm were busy preparing us lunch starting with the corn.
As we walked corn was ground into meal, the meal was worked into dough, and then the dough was shaved into the best tortillas God has ever let grace planet earth. As we ended our tour, lunch was served. Rice, beans, BBQ goat, salsa, and all manner of delights that I lack the skill to pronounce were laid before us on a covered, wooden table. As the meal progressed, fresh coffee and chocolate were served. Then fresh coffee and chocolate were sold. Four pounds of chocolate later and we were headed back to the ATVs.
Jason, whatever you do, don’t do any cliff diving. We want you back in one piece. –My Boss
Before we loaded up, Johnny asked us if we wanted to see the waterfall. What waterfall? The waterfall in the middle of the jungle between here and Playa Viva. Yeah!
A short 20 minute drive later, we dismounted. After ducking behind a lady’s back yard, walking through a cow pasture, hiking through the forest, and jumping over pipes that gravity fed water to the houses below, we emerged into a fresh, cool lagoon.
The water was clean and refreshingly cold. After swimming, then came jumping from the boulders. The jumping got progressively higher until towards the end several of us, including Johnny, had trekked to the top of the falls.
Stick it to the man. Check. Sorry boss.
Me: Johnny, if the farm we visited didn’t have electricity, then how did they know we were coming? Who told them to get everything ready?
Johnny: They didn’t know. We just show up and they take care of everything.
In the next post I’ll be discussing my ignorance of soccer, no football, no fútbol. Miss the start? Then click here.
