OfflineWell, it is time to start!
I am beginning this journal for 2 primary reasons:
1) Help me put things in perspective and move forward with my life so that I can achieve all the things I have known I could do but never took the final step until now.
2) Hopefully assist others through my knowledge, skills, and experiences with life and real estate.
I have been going through some professional and personal challenges over the last 18 months - my position at work was eliminated Jan 2007, 3 days later my son was hospitalized for 2 months from injuries sustained in a car accident, my daughter's near-fatal car accident in Oct 07, my mother's spreading cervical cancer, and the loss of my new job in May of this year. Yep, it's going to be interesting to see how 2008 ends.
Strengths: Christian, family-oriented, positive attitude, intelligent (my wife's opinion), honest, organizational skills, determination, teaching ability, outgoing, and good fundamental business sense.
Weaknesses: Too blunt sometimes, lazy when it comes to things I don't want to do, occasionally judgmental, little tolerance for incompetence (holdover from the Army), and buying too many boy scout and girl scout cookies.
MY FUTURE IN REAL ESTATE:
It seems all the real estate books, real estate investment CDs and DVDs, attending seminars (no comment), and forming a property management company have led me to this point in my life.
I know the real estate market in my county pretty well and have been successful in finding potential money-making properties but have failed to take the final plunge on any of them. Lack of knowledge in one area or another in RE investing can be a roadblock to success, and at this moment finding financing is mine. However, not having any money coming into the house is a great motivator so I am determined to close my first deal by the end of July if not sooner. 
Welcome! So sorry to hear about your challenges these past 18 months. Many of us have had to face our own harships as well and are still plunging ahead just like you are. We are here to support each other any way we can. God bless you on your journey.
Remember, everything happens for a reason, even though we may not understand that reason now.
Way to perservere and stick to you goal for July!
Psalms 118:23 "This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."