Pinky D

I've been an office drone for far too long. The idea of having my own business is much on my mind lately, but I've never been self-employed and that scares me! The ideas I have for a business I truly believe would be successful(eventually), but the thought of no steady paycheck or insurance is holding me back. Also, I'd be doing this by myself- my spouse is non-supportive, and there are no family members or friends that I could count on.

Just the thought of spending the next 20 years(I'm 47) in a job that gives me no self satisfaction for an employer that has no concept of respect is really starting to tear me up inside.

My dream is to open a cookie bakery. Who doesn't love cookies, right?!? I've investigated a retail space, the start up cost of equipment, ingredients, etc. I love baking cookies, but as a hobby. What happens if I get going and realize it's not as much fun when my lively-hood depends on it. I guess I could find a weekend job in a bakery(working 60+ hours a week would be a good test for me to see if I could handle that as a requirement of self-employment).

I've asked at the stores in my area (McKinney), and get nothing but blank looks... I need to get some before it goes away! Please let me know of any local stores that have it on the shelves.

I have some shares in a UK company, and they send me dividend checks in pounds sterling. My bank wants to charge a "collection" fee of $15, and at the current conversion the check is only worth $11.

I've done customer service for most of my life, and I can't take it anymore. My last job was outsourced, and now all I can find are temp jobs in pressure cooker call centers. Every day a little piece of me dies. Any ideas? (I'm 42, only high school grad. I have so much to offer, just no degree to back it up!)