Paradise City, Angry Hornets, and Hospital Rooms
– takes a slow, deep breath –
So, the end of summer was a lot. It was a toss-up between the lyrics for Paradise City or “Insane in the Brain” by Cypress Hill, tbh.
We took our summer vacation in Atlantis, Bahamas, on Paradise Island. (pictured above) That was great. Kids had a blast at the waterpark every day, and thanks to an evening at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville down there, the “hook and ring toss” game is now very much on both kids’ radars and my next small home project.
On our first day there, we learned my mother-in-law fell and broke her hip. She and my father-in-law were supposed to be with us on this trip, so I suppose the good thing is that it happened near home. She’s in a rehab center and will be ok eventually, but it will take some time to get her legs back.
One day after we got home, my Mom called me, short of breath and needing help right away. We got her some temporary help, but I ended up taking her to the ER the next day. Eventually diagnosed with pneumonia (again), but the bigger problem is her back. It’s a mess, and we’re consulting with surgeons and pain docs. She’s gonna end up in a rehab center as well, unfortunately.
The day I got home from Long Island, I was doing some much-needed mowing and yardwork when Pam called me, very distraught, needing me right away, and I could hear Zack crying in the background too. On a walk with Kenzie in the woods, they accidentally hit a hive of something. Our best guess is hornets because not only did they get stung 6-7 times EACH, including in the face, but these little f***ers followed them out of the woods! We ran to urgent care, and they took care of them. Luckily nobody is allergic, so it’s “just” the pain and redness/swelling to deal with. Zack was a mess for a few hours, unhappy all day, and said, “I’m never going outside again,” but honestly was, like, FINE the next day. Pam is still in (subsiding at least) pain, four days later.
The next day, I woke up with my back a mess again. Yardwork strikes again. So frustrating; I actually enjoy doing it, just don’t wanna get debilitated every time, ya know?
Oh, and Noah got a haircut he didn’t want, so, you know, trauma all around.
I really didn’t want this newsletter to turn into “Murph’s kvetch-sesh”, but it’s just been a bit rough over here lately. I mean, for starters, this is supposed to be the August post, and it’s September. 🤦
How was the end of summer for you?
This month, Murph Consulting turned 18. I cranked up Alice Cooper's "I'm 18" and Skid Row's "18 and Life" to get the vibes going. My company is now old enough to vote, get a tattoo, and get married, all without parental consent. Watch out, world!
In all seriousness, the passing of another year of entrepreneurship and running a successful business always feels like a good time to reflect. Since we started in 2007, we've assisted nearly 600 small businesses and residential clients. Businesses in every industry, ranging in size from the solopreneur to 100 employees. There’s no company we’ll say “you’re too small for us to help”, and that gives me great joy. Small businesses need tech and CyberSecurity support, and we’ve got their backs.
Speaking of, it's October again, and you all know what that means, right? The Mets have failed us, and the Islanders, Jets, and Rangers are about to. It's also Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Every small business should be implementing some basic security measures by now. It's easier and more affordable than you think it is, and definitely cheaper than dealing with the fallout of something drastically bad happening to your business.
How's your password game? Do you use strong passwords on all the sites you visit, or are they all slight modifications of one word, like your kids or pets' names or birth dates?
If it's the latter, let's chat. You should be using a password manager. They are easy to use, create complex passwords for you that you no longer need to remember, and keep them all safe for you. I can't remember the last time I had to click on the "forgot your password" link for any site, and I love that for me.
A password manager is just one of the seven software we feel EVERY small business should have in place to help keep them protected in 2025. We’ve packaged these up together neatly and made them affordable for the small businesses we will always support. If you’d like to learn more, please click the “Contact Murph” button below to send me an email.