I certainly see reasoning behind that answer but personally, I choose to look at year 2001 in a total different light. What kind of light? A positive light.

When I stated this to others, response was pretty unanimous. Ray, how could you possibly see 2001 as a positive? Because I choose to.

What are things that I found positive about this last year? Well here goes.

I found

1. That more positive I think, more positive life is.

2. That life does not have to be so difficult, I control this aspect much more than I ever dreamed.

3. Worry does nothing but give me more gray hair. ( The little I have left) :o)

4. Peace comes from within.

5. Being concerned with what others do or say, does harm only to yourself.

6. Accepting others, for who they are and not who you want them to be, is one of life's greatest blessings.

7. Every single day can be enjoyable if I so choose.

I work at home, full time over Internet. I have a business that most people just plain do not understand. I work in a field that most people do not even know exists. I stay home all day. I often stay up all night working and sleep in very late.

This looks very bad to 'regular' folks.

It's of no concern to me. I'm literally immune to other people's opinions. I've always been a bit of a loner anyway.

What I'm wondering, though, is how does my wife deal with this? I mean, she's not really sure just exactly what it is I'm doing here anyway, and yet she backs me up. For that, I'll have to reward her someday.

It's tough on her at times, though, and it's especially tough on her when talking to others.

I've seen her try to handle questions before. I remember specifically what it was like when my wife's aunt and uncle first met me. We were just starting to look into moving to Montana, and we stopped by their house to let them know we would be coming to area.

"So, what does your husband do for a living?" her aunt asked, as I sat across room talking to her uncle.

"He works over Internet," my wife answered. This is where Aunt gave my wife one of those looks that's easier to read than a 10 foot neon sign.

Her look said, "But Internet is a just a play toy for computer geeks and college students. He can't be making any money from that --- unless he's a scam artist."

"What does he do over Internet?" Aunt replied politely in spite of her thoughts.

"He sends out newsletters," my wife answered. (That's her take on what I'm doing here. For a better explanation, see my web site. It's actually just a LITTLE more complicated than that!)

"Uncle," Aunt called to her husband in return to my wife's simplistic explanation of my business, "Joe there is looking for work."

I can only imagine what my wife was feeling at that moment. Wives like to be proud of their husbands. Heck, wives like to BRAG about their husbands. So having a job that leaves people thinking I'm, well, basically a bum and a thief is probably a just little hard on her ego.

She tries to explain that yes, I do make money, and that no, I won't be going to jail for it, and that yes, I do actually accomplish something, and that no, I'm not just trying to get out of having a real job and...

It doesn't really work, though, and I feel for her. Someday I'll have to reward her for her loyalty.

It probably doesn't help when Aunt comes to visit at 11:30 a.m. and I'm still in bed asleep either. She doesn't know that I was up until 5:30 a.m. working away. She doesn't know that I usually end up working at night because during day I like to do things with my wife and kids.

All she sees is a bum that "sleeps in 'til Noon!" Of course, relatives wouldn't dare say anything to me about their opinion. Instead, my wife gets blasted with it.