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Talk about head in the sand. An unexpected visitor today, from out of town no less, informed me that my little dream coffee shop/restaurant/bakery or what ever it was going to be is under new management. After my aborted networking attempt there last month, I didn’t step back in, primarily because of the cost anticipated in both calories and dollars. I did look at it out of the corner of my eye yesterday, and from a distance it appeared full and busy. Today up close, it looks newly painted with a big sign on the door that says “Closed for Renovations.” Despite my apparent need to see an eye doctor, this holds minimal trauma. I wasn’t really considering the restaurant business, but it’s been a cheerful little dream for a long time, and now that vision belongs to someone else. On the positive side, it's a lot harder to work in a real restaurant than an imaginary one.

The topic did get me thinking along the lines of pulling a proverbial ”trigger” which I have been reluctant to do as it relates to a career search. The tools are finally there and all I need to do to begin networking is to—well begin. Dreaming about restaurants and looking at schools on line, attending writing workshops, writing blog entries and crafting essays to be published all delay the inevitable. That hit loud and clear yesterday as I left the outplacement office, even before I found out about the restaurant. Eventually, no matter how many things are spinning around in your brain, if you are going to get anywhere, you need to wiggle that little finger and press send.

So, when my out of town restaurant informant departed, I got to work. I now have two informational interviews scheduled and am going back and forth with a dear teacher friend to schedule a time to explore education as a career option. I also have a call out to a woman who used to be on my staff who is researching for an outplacement firm and I sent an email to my sister-in-law, who in my mind is brilliant and well connected. Next on the old agenda, I’ll release a few direct emails to additional folks I’d like to meet with, and a bulk memo to the rest of my network; educating them about my interests and asking them to keep me in mind. Off to the races, I guess.

Last month, I wrote about being brave. Words to live by. Let’s see if I can.