Now that I'm focused, what can my muse be?  After considering numerous options, I decided to try devoping two new products, based on my wife's and my experience.  One idea is a new fishing product based on my experience.  The other idea is an informational product based on my wife's teaching experience. The one idea allows me to go fishing for my job; the other allows my wife to do most of the work.  That sounds like a good start.  Now, time to develop, market, and refine the products.

One of the things that struck me (as I've often struggled with it, as will be demonstrated shortly) about Tim Ferris's advice on achieving a four hour workweek is the need to stay absolutely focused on the main objective and not getting distracted.  One of the most salient points in the book is when he was talking about attending meetings in Corporate America that are dragging on and losing focus.  He said something to the effect of, "Get the bleep out of there!"  Now, even though I don't like profanity, the message of his statement struck a chord -- "Hurry, save yourself!  Get out of there now, before it's too late!!!"  Not only does that apply in the halls of time-wasting Corporate America, but more generally in life.  Still, I found myself on a recent Saturday drenched in used motor oil, throwing a wrench across the garage, and regretting my loss of focus, while trying to change the oil in my two vehicles.  The one vehicle had no clearance under it to so much as turn a wrench, and on the other one, I forgot that the integrated funnel on the used oil container needed to be moved from its stored location to an opening in the container.  This led to oil, like rainwater, running down my driveway.  (Don’t tell the EPA.)  For a few more bucks, I could’ve had someone else do the dirty work while I focused on more important things --  Oil change at Wal-Mart: $25.  Focusing in the meanwhile on getting to the Five Hour Workweek, so that I can avoid the vast majority of such frustration in the future: Pricless.  I guess it’s time to stop blogging, and get to work.

I thought I had it this time. I came up with a great idea that I’d never heard of before. I was going to design a new notebook-sized product that would electronically store and display sheet music for musicians. It would advance from page to page with a foot pedal, be modular so that you could have up to four screens side by side, and store gazillions of pieces of sheet music. Problem is, a number of other people have already thought of all that, and more, and are currently selling them.  Look at  http://www.musiciansfriend.com. I know, I’ll tweak the idea by integrating it into a piano, and sell the idea to OEM’s. Except that there’s already a patent for that. Who knows, maybe I’ll get one for my piano-playing wife someday. Once I can afford it.

In searching for a muse, many thoughts crossed my mind.  I liked the idea of selling information, because of its high markup capabilities.  I also liked the idea of cosummables, because it means more repeat business.  But, I thought I would try to find an existing invention to license.  However, I soon found that seemed like a lot of work (the very thing I'm trying to avoid).  I found that inventor websites had little to offer in terms of viable products.  (Not that I have anything against argyle paint or crumb-sucking butter lids.)  So, it seems that the easy way is too hard.  Furthermore,

OK,
So I've committed to pursuing the five hour workweek.  Where do I go from here?  Maybe I should hire a Remote Virtual Assistant in a faraway land for $4/hour to do some legwork.  Actually, that sounds a bit over my budget.  Perhaps there's another way -- my Dad just recently retired.  And his English is pretty good.  Maybe I can outsource some stuff to my Dad.  Now, I all I need is a product.

For years I've been thinking about how to get out of corporate America and do something with my life.  Don't ge me wrong, working in corporate America is better than slaving in a tobacco field in 95 degree heat, trying to scrape out a living.  But there's nothing inherently significant with it, either.  Then, I saw (and subsequently read) a book my brother-in-law (creator of The Five Hour Workweek) was reading, called The Four Hour Work Week, about a guy who had similar, albeit more hyperactive, thoughts.  Prior to reading the book, it was hard to envision how I would get out of corporate A