Saturday, November 12, 2011: A Lame Post (No, That's Not "Lamppost")

Hi all,

This is going to be a fairly lame post because I'm fried from cleaning today, and nothing much has happened this week. I still haven't received much work, and I don't know what that's about. When you're a freelancer, you don't get any kind of  "review," yearly or otherwise, and the way you get "fired" is that the client just stops sending you work. Grant it, this particular client seems to be firing me in dribs and drabs, which makes it kind of confusing.

In all actuality, it's like dating someone for a long time (I've been with this client since 2003) and then getting dumped. I'm choosing to deal with this first by riding out then end of the year. Even when the economy is up, this time of year is not a good one to actively search for employment. I'll certainly keep my ear low to the ground to see if I can catch any leads, but I won't be cold-calling any time soon. This is actually a good time to get some personal business taken care of, like having my will redone, cleaning and organizing my office, and so forth. I'm also going to use this part of the winter to nest and hibernate, hopefully to cook up a new plan for my work life. I've daydreamed lightly about pursuing other careers, like becoming a therapist or life coach (nebulous as that latter title seems), learning how to make shoes (yes!), or just researching the journals and books I would really like to edit. So, I'm actually hoping that I don't get much work so I can cocoon and see what kind of butterfly I become.

I've also contemplated theta it might be good just to stay an editor but hone my speed and marketability. I have a lot of ideas and resources on how to do that; I just haven't had the time or energy to act on them:

1. Learn how to keyboard (I think this used to be called "typing," LOL), not just hunt and peck.

2. Learn how to use Macro Express (a macro program) more thoroughly.

3. Rejoin the Editorial Freelancers Association. I let my membership lapse last year (when work was plenty) to see if I missed it. I haven't, but membership is kind of necessary to keep up with the trade.

4. Ditch this old computer and buy a laptop.

5. Look into other aspects of editing I might enjoy, like desktop publishing.

6. Go over some marketing DVDs I have and work up a marketing campaign for next year.
7. Update my resume (d'uh; this should have been the first point).

In the meantime, I've put the kibosh on using my credit card, which I do way too much for someone who is now barely employed. Somehow being on Weight Watchers makes this easier to do :-) And speaking of which, despite thinking I haven't been having a very good week this week in terms of following my eating plan, I managed to lose a pound!

Everything is also going well with the recovery Bible study and the new Al-Anon group, although I'm a little worried about people not getting involved to chair meetings, hold offices, etc., i.e., all the things that make up a normal healthy Al-Anon meeting. I guess if it folds, it folds. I've pretty much done all that I'm willing to do (except holding an office myself). Beyond that, as goes Al-Anon's Step One, I'm powerless over what does or does not happen.

See you next week!