"To be a champ you have to believe in yourself when no one else will." --Sugar Ray Robinson

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." --Mother Teresa

We've already established I'd love to own a comic book store. My wife would love to own a used book store. Though she doesn't always realize it, her and I are much alike. At all of the used book stores here in town, there is a general lack of science fiction and fantasy books and the few I have found are overpriced yet there is no shortage of romance novels, etc. Do sci-fi fans hold on to their books? Or maybe, are there less of us? Hmm...Inquiring minds want to know.

The place where I buy my comics has a great selection and decent customer service however if they miss one of my comics from my pull list again, I'll hurt someone. I only read about five titles regularly right now (two of which are bimonthly) yet in the past six months they've shorted me at least five times. Now mistakes are one thing but that's just down right inefficient.

I've been teaching my kids how to save money. (Can you say delayed gratification?) They've done really well. My oldest daughter Kayla has saved the most money in her class. (Her class has a fourth grade savings club sponsored by my kid's bank.) I'm so proud of her. In fact I said to her, "Now doesn't it feel great to be the best at something!" Indeed it is. Everyone needs a pat-on-the-back sometimes.

As I continue working on my net-worth-Increase goal, I have to keep reminding myself not to get too bothered with some of the people I know. It's hard not to be a little bit envious when they talk about their vacations, cars, homes, even the stocks they're buying. I have no idea how much debt any of them has. I may not be wealthy but everything I own is paid for and I have so little debt my credit score is a big-fat-zero. I have to remember--in time, all good things will come. (Ahh...delayed gratification again.)

Part of this whole process is also gaining a new vision of success and knowing that I am worthy of it. A lack of self worth will defeat you at every turn. Self confidence even affects money matters.

I was talking to my real estate tycoon friend NAME DELETED DUE TO NOSY NO GOODS yesterday and asked him, "So, how's that new venture going?" I was referring to the piece of property he has just paid for that he was telling me about last week. His reply, "Oh, the sign business is going great!" Sign business? What? Evidently, old NAME DELETED DUE TO NOSY NO GOODS has purchased some type of turn key sign business for his wife. I am impressed. He's always trying something and from what I understand is usually successful.

If you're trying to learn more about finances, I suggest watching Suze Orman on CNBC. She had a great show on mutual funds last week. I've also been reading everything I can get my hands on from my stock statements to the magazines Fidelity sends in the mail.

CBR has another good article on Bill Willingham.

All right, I better go for now. This new four day schedule I'm on (four twelve hour days) is working out great. Need to assemble Calliope Nerve and start mailing it out. As for my vision with it, I want it to be the most provocative under ground poetry zine out there.