Kyle has been away since Friday with his friends in Cape Cod which means the YouTube video won’t be shot and edited yet but he deserved the break so the video will have to wait until tomorrow. Meanwhile I’ve been thinking of ideas for the next YouTube video. I think I will do something fun with Barack Obama. Although Kyle is gone I can’t have anything holding up our deadlines. Kyle, Paris and everyone will put what they do in a manual so it is systematic. This project is bigger than all of us, even me. We have to create systems for everything

Paris and Shenikah went on a Christian radio station to promote the Diamond Ruff Project and talk about who they are and their aspirations.

I met with Tom Caine he is a personable guy. I asked him if he could proof read the book by the weekend and he said he could. After I told him I want the book to be a national Best seller, he urged I give him more time to make sure it’s super tight. Bringing him on will cost more and push the project back, but I think it’s worth it.

Debbie called and said her friend identified an editor for us and his name is Tim Caine and he is a former editor of The Hartford Courant Newspaper and has two titles coming out with McGraw Hill Publishing. I’m excited to meet with him. I hope he can edit quickly so we can get the book out.

Debbie began reviewing the book and began proofing. She wants to take it to a friend who writes for a living and an expert on proofing/editing to help. She and I discussed this would push the book back a week. But we both agreed Diamond Ruff will be a bestseller and we don’t want to leave anything to chance. Everything is done on the book. I just need a bullet proof final draft. As we wait I will concentrate on the selling of the book.  We have to move at least 100,000 copies to make it a best seller. I will set up with a very smart and charismatic man who works in the next building over from me. His name is Steve Perry; he is the principal of Chapter Oak Capital Preparatory Academy. He is the author of “Man Up”. A book that was a National Best Seller. I will seek help and offer how I can help him in his endeavors. Yesterday we put together a newsletter to send out to members. Manhattan Public Access called with dates and times Diamond Ruff TV will air. I’m really excited.

Good news, we received our Library of Congress Card Catalog number. It will assist us when libraries are trying to reach us and purchase the Diamond Ruff books. The number is 15: 2008908119. Tierney will now put this number with the ISBN number on the copyright page of the book.

Debbie is still looking/proofing the book. We plan to have it by the weekend and send it to the printers next week. Paige is working on a newsletter we will send out to members. By Sunday, we should have camera ready work. We’re getting closer!

Last night I sent Debbie the manuscript for last minute proofing. I also saw the Democratic National Convention pre-show featuring Ted Kennedy and Michelle Obama. She is a real dynamo. It confirmed the importance and power of a strong team behind someone. It is necessary to succeed. It is important to a leader to have that and take care of his or her team with loyalty. In our case at this time of the struggle I try to offer compliments, truth, protection, pizza, bus fare, and a job in the near future… and also supporting their dreams even if they find another opportunity at this time. If loyalty is there they will always be a part of the project.

We had a great meeting with the University of Hartford, The Barney school of Business. Janis, Sister Chareen, Paris and I attended the meeting. They will assist us in getting interns from their school. They also turned us on to other schools on campus to recruit. On this project our niche in finding people to help us are college students .They’re hungry, hardworking, and smart and not trying to get rich off of us. I truly believe most monetary rewards come from following through on passion, not by “nickel and dimeing” someone during a struggle – Loyalty pays big dividends. We will also seek interns from other colleges. None the less it was a very good day.

Kyle and I put together another YouTube (#7). My sister Andrea who has diabetes is speaking about the disease and what you can do to prevent and deal with it if you have it. I really appreciate her doing it. For her to actually have Diabetes has more impact than I could ever have. Yesterday at my son Johnny’s 17th Birthday Party at Young Studios this Break-dance Crew had a good time except a kid broke a finger. He was rushed to the hospital and was okay Thank God. But the incident made me think about this project….left curves are coming so we have to prepare for them. We need all types of insurance and assurances.

Today I began preparing for Monday’s meeting at the University of Hartford. It is important we not only secure interns with the school, but form a partnership. I’m really excited about this meeting, if it is successful it will help us bring our dream of the movie closer. I spoke to Debbie Gaudet and she looked at a new promotional Diamond Ruff flyer sample we did. She saw typos and fixed it. She knows the book has been proof read and edited a couple times. But she asked if she could look at it before we send it to the printers this week. She says she catches typos in printed books by big publishers. I’m stopping the presses until she’s done proofing this week.

I met with Tony Espinoza; he will be coming on as a volunteer to help produce the Diamond Ruff TV show. Paris is setting up Packages for the big meeting with the University of Hartford Business School to do internships on the project. Stay tuned.