I wish I could say that taking a vacation would be hell, that I’d miss all of that writing and work like crazy… but the truth is I won’t.
I haven’t had a hobby since I started working full-time days. Technically if you go by the hours I work for one person, it’s usually around an hour or two less than what would be called full-time. It’s when you throw in the 3 year old and all of my blogs that you have me planted to this computer chair. The problem is skimming. Most things don’t take very long, the most mundane of all my tasks I get paid to do.
I’ve been working too much. Overworking myself has been causing me to burn out and when I did the math I realized I could take a week off without it affecting my bills too much. Sure, I did need that money but I need to keep my sanity as well.
No Work For Turkey Day Week!!! Woohoo!
I haven’t had a hobby which takes me off the computer in a long time. That is something I must change, even if it is just for a week. I am thinking about knitting something. I haven’t taken out my needles and yarn in a while.
So I do have one more week until my vacation, but I think visions of a week off will help me make it through.
This week has been hectic, long and it’s not even over yet! Today’s Mompreneur seems to have taken over my mornings and my thoughts when I am trying to sleep at night. I keep coming up with new ideas I would like to try, and even had a dream about a post I wanted to write!
However, that is just one example of why I am so addicted to Netflix. Who can resist becoming absorbed into a movie? Just yesterday I was finally able to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks. I also watched more Alf.
Movies are my drug. Netflix is my dealer.
I’ve honestly enjoyed stepping away and watching a movie when possible. I feel like my work has improved because of it. Although it gives me less time… the time I have is being put to better use. I don’t feel so sick of everything I need to do, I am shaking things up a bit.
I am a little worried about how I am going to make everything work having added Today’s Mompreneur to my workload. I am hoping it’ll run smoothly, but we’ll have to wait and see.
This weekend I am hoping to relieve some of my worries with 3 new movies to watch. One of them includes Tyler Perry as Madea, and that’s always a good laugh when needed.
You can consider this a review if you like, but there is nothing paid about it. I am a fanatic when it comes to fancy note cards and stationery.
As most people have gathered by now, I write some of the interviews for the Business Opportunities Weblog. Every so often someone offers me a freebie of their product in return for interviewing them. As much as it is my work to do interviews, I love trying out different products. I am very stingy, so this is generally how I find a new product that I am willing to purchase in the future, much like when I received free coffee a while back.
If someone offers me something before I post their interview, I usually ask if they’d be interested in giving it away to one of our readers instead. That usually leads to, “Yes, I’d be interested.” From there I get to set up a giveaway with that particular interview and it is all fun. When Heather offered me free stationery of my choice, I had to rewrite my email response to her at least 5 times. I tried to tell her that it was okay, I appreciate her offer, but maybe she’d be interested in giving it to one of our readers instead.
I ended up taking her up on the offer.
I write some people regularly as a penpal, so I am always looking for new things of stationery I can use to help spice up my letters. There was no way I could turn down a great offer like that.
When I received the stationery today, I was shocked at the quality. Not shocked because I thought it’d be less than good, I was shocked because the quality of the note cards was beyond impressive. Some card sets I’ve seen have lines going through the image, almost like the ink in the printer was starting to fade. I’ve seen it as a common problem among printers (going as far as to note VistaPrint has their issues too). This is not a problem with any of the cards she sent.
The second point I enjoyed about these cards is the paper. It seems to be a quality stock, and I like the fact they do not have ‘gloss’ on them. As pretty as gloss may make a card, it’s impossible to write a quick note with my fountain pens without needing a week to dry. Everyone has their own preference, but I am very fond of the paper she printed these on.
Although I did not pay for these, as they were a gift, don’t be surprised to find me purchasing from her again in the future. The large note cards (the ones with the flowers) go for $24 and you get 20 large flat cards. The smaller fold-over cards go for $26 and they also come in a pack of 20.
Mine were customized with the color of my choice. If you order from her, she will do the same for you at no extra charge. She also offers a variety, there is so much to look at and choose from.
If you enjoy writing letters, or even mailing off quick notes, I recommend Swanky Paper as the place to one-stop-shop for your stationery needs.
That unfortunate thing that happens to everyone: stress. How long does it take to work day after day before you finally feel the effects of stress?
There is, “Oh I’m stressed out and need a break.” Then there is total break down where you worked in overdrive for far too long and you go through complete burn out.
Thankfully I’m just the first one. I’ve been feeling the effects of stress and recognize that I could use a break. Unfortunately breaks aren’t so easy to come by. I have work that needs my attention, my websites need my attention, I have things I need to write and most of all; there is just not enough time in my day for all of that plus free time and time with my daughter.
Unfortunately there is no vacation in my future, but I did get to enjoy a slight break yesterday and although the person who had the loud music and louder bass drove me up the wall last night - I am feeling much better.
When I am feeling stressed out I like to sit and watch a good movie. Especially one I hadn’t seen in a while. I did that yesterday, and although I can’t relax today because I have too much to do, hopefully my little break will pull me through until next weekend.
I posted this question at the Mom’s United in Business community, but I’d like to ask it here:
What do you do when you feel like stress has grabbed a hold of you?
You have no idea how busy I’ve been these last 2 days. Yesterday it was 60% work and 40% life tasks.
Actually, yesterday I had to run to town, get money, pay more against what I owe for my truck, then came home to finish working.
Granted, today is much busier than it was yesterday. I don’t think I’ve really sat here and not been working in some way or another.
There is one trend I seem to notice when I clock how long I’ve worked in one day. I work approximately 6 to 6 1/2 hours a day. That isn’t an 8 hour job, but it is a lot of time spent sitting. Then if you enter in the fact that I only go distraction-free for 6 or so of those hours (4 while Monkey is at school, 2 after she’s asleep), then maybe you’ll see why I feel like I work full days.
Nothing will ever compare to working with Aubree home. A 6 hour job suddenly takes me 8 or more. Monkey is only on her 3rd week in school, yet I am starting to wonder what I’m going to do when she’s out for vacations and such.
Anyone who thinks you can work with kids running around is insane
I recently guest posted for Amy Derby with tips on how to keep a child occupied while writing. The tips are completely true, and very useful but anyone can tell you nothing works as you want it to all of the time.
Yes, I love fooling Monkey into behaving with crayons and a coloring book. No, it doesn’t always work. Some days she is a bit more, “Hay mommy…” than others. That’s life with a child.
Oh, and if you think someone is less passionate about freelance writing because they have children - NEVER. They may freelance to be home with their kids, but how much do you want to bet they love what they do?
I do.
Working regularly, day after day, on the same tasks does get tiring but I’ll be darned - I love every minute of it.
If I was given the option to quit and still be set for life, I would say yes and work anyway. :-p What? I love what I do, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have enough money to live on forever, either.
No one really knows how busy I was over the last week. Well, it’s between busy and just outright sick. Today is the first day I’ve felt 98% back to normal. Even the sore throat has faded to almost nothing.
The excitement started at the beginning of this week when I got my American Chronicle author account. I spent that evening telling everyone I could think of about it. Then I set up my profile information.
On Tuesday I wrote up my bio for my AmChron account. I’m very picky, and I wanted it to be perfect. No one knows how many times I switched it up before I settled on what I did end up saving. Remind me to pay someone to write a bio about me in the future. It’s nearly impossible to do it on my own! I’m too darn picky!
Then Wednesday came and got a terrible migraine. The first part of the work day I was able to survive, but when I woke up from my nap it was like a ton of bricks. Sitting at the computer I couldn’t stop crying because everything made it worse.
Thursday and Friday were only minor improvements on that problem. Thankfully I have finally kicked the sore throat down a few notches, my headache is gone and I can enjoy Saturday. Although R and R is not on my list this weekend, I have a new client and I need to get some work done for them. Should be fun!
Of course, when you throw in tons of interview questions, a parent meetting and other need-more-than-usual-concentration tasks, life seems to move much slower than the clock.
One bonus out of this week is this: I now have a public phone number. If you find yourself needing a contact number where people can leave a voice mail, I recommend checking out RingCentral. It works, and free is always cool when you’re just starting out and need a service asap! In my case, I decided it’s time that I went that route. Some people do prefer work through a phone conversation, and I don’t want to lose work because I hate phones.
It shouldn’t take another week before I post again, but if it does please feel free to draft a petition against life and tell it to give me more hours in a day or else it will have to teach me how to live without sleeping.
Haywire isn’t a strange word, but it sure as heck fits as the word to describe my ‘net at the moment. It has gone down multiple times today because we’re experiencing a very heavy rain right now.
All the while, I am trying to update my wordpress for all of my blogs. I’m sure it’ll be a slow process.
While I am kvetching, I might as well chat about the mailman. He can’t seem to close the door on the mailbox completely… and so it leaves a gap in the top where it rains in. We’ve got a nice and wet electric bill because of it.
The last of my complaining goes out to the owner of a ‘Smelly’ business for wasting my time. “Yeah, I’m definitely interested” turned into never being contacted when he changed his mind and didn’t want to be interviewed any longer. Of course I’d already taken the time to write up the questions and send them to him.
Big Fat Waste Of My Time
He might also be a waste of oxygen when it comes to his existence, but that isn’t my decision to make. He did waste my time, he was rude enough to “forget to mention” he wasn’t interested anymore after having me email the questions to him. I wonder if that made me a waste of his time?
I’m pretty sure his time is no more important than mine.
Smelly _____ is a shit-list business. Just think, he bases the quality of his business on word-of-mouth advertising as well. Wouldn’t that make his inconsiderate move a stupid one to take?
yes.
As much as I love meeting new people and interviewing them it is the people like him that really ruin the experience. Some people are excited to get the word out about their product. I’ve interviewed bigger businesses than that ‘Smelly’ Start-up. They appreciate getting the word out about what they have to offer and I’m always more than happy to recommend them to friends, write about them on my blogs, and give them the spotlight they deserve. Sure some say negative press is still good press, but if it’s based on the owner being an inconsiderate twit… can it really turn positive? I’m not even giving the benefit of a link. Unless you are good at guessing or read my tweets on Twitter, you don’t even know the name of the business.
I recommend a good kvetching at least once a week. It really relieves all that stress right off your shoulders! I feel better, and I’ll update later with less whining.
Okay, so you may have noticed I am still altering my posting style a little but that is not the point of today’s post. The point today is… finding a great working, low MB, word processor.
I had written out a business opportunity profile and when it came time to save it Microsoft Works Word Processor failed me. It kept telling me it couldn’t save the file, yet my flash drive wasn’t full. When I gave up trying to save onto that, it wouldn’t even save it to my computer.
I’ll be darned, I have no clue why it has failed me now.
I’d never had a problem with it before, so it’s absolutely beyond me why it had decided to kick the bucket on me. Plenty of memory left on my computer. One drive isn’t even near half full, the other is only 10% full out of 160gb. We’re good.
After I got tired of fighting with it and finally just switched it over to Wordpad so I could save it, I went hunting for free word processors.
Yes, I already know about OpenOffice.org and what they have to offer. I also know that the file size to download is beyond huge and it would knock out my net if I tried. The MB size of the file is 3/4ths of my daily allowance.
Thankfully I spelled processor wrong in my search, I spelled it processer - haha, because it lead me to AbiWord 2.6. It was just over 5mbs to download and the tools/plugins took less than a second to download.
I used AbiWord to write another profile and set up the interview that I had to post today. It worked just as I needed it to. There was only one little annoyance I noticed. Although the program checks your grammar, it doesn’t set up correction ideas for the areas they underline with that annoying green line. As much as I love to write, it is nice to know why they feel a sentence isn’t grammatically correct. Especially considering grammar is my personal Kryptonite.
If you do not know what Abecedarian means, look it up. It really does seem to fit today’s post.
My little girl went to school today. It was her first day, as the caption for the photo above mentions. She looked so cute, and she was so excited. I walked her up to the bus and said goodbye. I turned around and walked to the house, where those tears just kind of hit me.
You know how a sneeze will sneak up on you? That’s how my tear dam burst. I was perfectly fine until I turned around and walked back to the house. I cried a little, then got to work on my tasks for the day.
When she got home her face was blue. From what I’ve gathered from her, she must have eaten a cupcake. She said she put together a puzzle with someone else, and that she had fun today. Right now she’s just really tired acting and laying in the living room watching a movie. I could imagine it was an exhausting day.
She’s only 3, but I’ll be darned… she’s growing up fast. This is just the first year of many years of school she’ll have to go through.
I would like to say I completely missed her during the day, but honestly I am so busy working that it’s only a little bit of that feeling I have. I spent my 4 1/2 hours (would be 5 but I need to account for time spent waiting for the bus both ways) head first in writing and other important tasks I really needed to get done today. Gosh it was nice. I need to get as much as possible done on the 4 days she’s at school so Friday will go much more smoothly with her home.
It’s a sad thing watching my little girl grow up before my eyes, but I think she’s going to continue to love school. Not to mention I shouldn’t have a problem getting used to that quiet time and enjoying it.
Excess; intemperance. [Obs. except in Med.] –Farindon.
Picture Of The Day
That tent belongs to Monkey. It’s made to look like a tree house, that’s boots up on the front there, but she can go inside and play.
Inside her tent Monkey has 3 toy boxes, her Dora table and her Dora doll house. Can we say spoiled 3 year old? On the outside she has a giant teddy bear that resembles Winnie The Pooh and another box filled with books.
Just think, he bases the quality of his business on word-of-mouth advertising as well. Wouldn’t that make his inconsiderate move a stupid one to take?
