How many times have you been there, too? The work – you’re drowning in it. Yet the cash for that work? Let’s just say Casper makes more appearances than your checks. At the moment, I have about $7K in outstanding invoices. Only one is just slightly overdue. Taxes are due on the 15th (you do…
Recurring Client Issues
The meditation group I belong to teaches us about life’s sanskara, or the stuff that keeps coming up throughout our lives that must be dealt with. For example, suppose you keep meeting the same type of person as you’re dating. No matter how far outside your comfort zone you look, that new person soon starts…
It’s Unlimited, With Certain Limits, Of Course
I once signed up for a new phone service that promised me unlimited calling. It wasn’t one of the big companies, but rather a startup company offering great rates. The first month, it was wonderful. For just $30 a month, I could call my sister and talk for an hour, or call my mother, or…
Office Hours
Got a nice break in my workload this morning – met a writer friend for Starbucks. We solve the world’s ills over caffeine. Or at least we think we do. Got another small break – a friend who works a 9-to-5 called. She’s home and had some time to chat. I was able to spend…
Go On, Just Pile It On
It must be just before a holiday weekend because here comes another big project and another “Are you able to work this weekend?” request. It came in yesterday morning as I was firing up the computer to get going on the first big job. A request like that wouldn’t be a problem if I A)…
Service or Support – It Needs to Work
Yesterday’s Microsoft-created mania is behind me, amen. Today I hope to make huge progress on this project so the client can at least gain some headway on her deadline. Side issue that seems to be growing – we switched our cable service from Comcast to Verizon Monday. The technicians were quick about it – I…
Kaboom!
That’s the sound of my day going up in flames. Got to work early today in order to make what I thought would be great progress on the big project. Microsoft, however, had different plans for me. The file I was able to open and work on yesterday is not “too complex” to open. So…
The Return of 12-hour Days
One of those promised projects from last week is definitely (?) arriving today. It will mean tons of work in a short amount of time. Also, it means all the projects I didn’t finish last week are now crammed in there with this project, plus with any other must-have project that may mosey in this…
The Friday Crunch
Let’s take bets, shall we? I received all those calls at the end of last week from clients who needed work done this week. It’s Friday. Despite being out for two days, I returned to see my in box empty. That’s right. Those must-have-it-this-week round of projects have yet to show up. So I’m betting…
The Worse Offense
Last week we talked about glass ceilings in the freelance world, which to my knowledge are rare. This week a more heinous beast – harassment, cat calls, misbehavior by male counterparts. I’d love to say this is as rare as the glass ceiling in freelancing, but ask ten women and I’d bet about 8 of…