Have you ever heard the phrase “everything begins with a dream”? It’s one of those motivational phrases I’ve clung to for years. Another is “Anything you can conceive and believe you can achieve.” Not a lot of people believe in the writings of such people as Earl Nightingale or Napoleon Hill, but for those of you that understand, well it’s been a trying but amazingly rewarding week.

This week the publishers of MODE contracted to buy their own building in Midtown Harrisburg. Yea! Talk about moving up in the world. I’d love to tell you that we paid for it with cash, but of course I’d get beaten up by Gloria (my wife, and boss), again for fibbing. Instead, I’m going to tell you that the world is a great place to live in. We’ve been looking for a building for quite some time. Unfortunately, as many new business owners will attest, the liquid assets are pretty dry right now. Yet, we found the perfect building! Now what? Well, to make a long story short. After a LOT of paper shuffling, and some pretty impressive hoop leaping throughing, we secured financing. A major portion was arranged through Dauphin National Bank, mind you who are VERY community friendly, and exceptionally good to work with. Yeah, yeah, shameless plug, but it’s true! The balance came from the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, and if you didn’t read the MOED article last month, well shame on you. Anyone starting or operating a small business in Harrisburg should be intimately familiar with MOED’s services. The City of Harrisburg may help you when no one else will. We’re a case and point.

So, as we approach closing, Gloria and I have decided to chronicle the entire process of locating a business and residence in the city of Harrisburg. If you surf the MODE website, in the next week or so, a new section called “MODE’s Midtown Renovation” will be posted. It will explain, in detail, all of the processes we have gone through, the people who have helped us, the services we have had to employ, and most importantly some of the money issues. (Can’t tell you everything though... wink, wink.) Don’t forget, www.MODEweekly.com, (formerly MODEmagazine.com).

(Gee, imagine what the long version of this story must have been like :-)

As for this month’s issue of MODE. Well, it’s chock-full-o stuff about the business of entertainment. Our humble little paper has been mixing business with pleasure for quite some time now, and we finally decided to find out what it takes to be an “entertainment” industry professional. I’ll tell you a secret... come close... read quietly... IT TAKES A HELL OF A LOT OF WORK! I thought we worked hard, but until you’ve seen someone put on a concert, forget it. If you’re generally an entertainment oriented individual, you should really like this issue. Let me know, ‘kay?

Last but not least. We are giving away a lot of stuff in this, our Second Anniversary issue. WOW! Two years, can you believe it? Anyway, there’s actually three things you can WIN in this month’s issue. The first is a chance to see the killer movie BASEketball before it opens in the theaters! MODE has passes to an advance screening, and you’re invited. The details are on page 2. Second is the opportunity to WIN a Romantic Weekend Getaway to FELICITA, and if you’ve never been there, ENTER NOW! The details are on page 31. The last, and probably coolest promotion is a chance to go backstage at the HersheyPark concert, and meet Van Halen in person! MEET VAN HALEN IN PERSON!!! If you love Van Halen, this is a once in a lifetime chance. The details are on page 12.

Boy! Do we just have too much cool stuff goin’ on. Thanks everyone for making MODE the success it has become, We’d be nothing without you!!!