I seem to be blogging in waves at the moment. There's lots of ideas zooming around my head but sitting down at the computer screen and typing seems to only happen in short sharp bursts.
I'm also fretting a bit. I've had some health issues which have temporally abated but my medication runs out tomorrow and the GP warned it could all start again. I've had two appointments at the hospital for the 'abnormality' the optician spotted and now have to be referred to another consultant who's at a hospital 40 minutes drive away (the usual time spent at the hospital is 2 hours to see the Dr for 10 mins - and you can't take a book to read because they put scary drops in your eyes).
My OH has been working some awful shift patterns so has been absent from childcare duties and then when he did get a few days of the decided he needed a break and went fishing (though I still refuse to take it up as a hobby so that I can have a break). We should finally find out about the redundancy decision on Tuesday but in the meantime things are a little tense.
Plus I feel a little bit of a failure - after nearly 4 years freelancing I've let my OH persuade me to apply for a part-time job. Though I have a lot of work to do in the next 10 days I have nothing in the pipeline and no money coming in for at least a month. My usual clients have gone silent and after prodding some have admitted that they 'aren't currently sending anything out of house'.
I'm not completely disappearing from the freelance scene - and I don't know if I have the job yet - but I am looking for a bit more security. There are only so many things you can sell on eBay and my son needs a school uniform for January.
Hmm after that moan perhaps I should have kept the blog silence a little longer ....
Coronation Street Parties Senyru
1 year ago
8 comments:
I'm sorry to hear that things are a bit rough right now. Don't let a part-time job discourage you. If it allows you to meet needs in the present moment, it will work to help. Freelance is up and down, as we know, and I'm sure you'll stay plugged into the scene.
No, no, no, no . . .
You must not stay away from blogger cos you write stuff that is not all happy and positive. This is exactly what your blog is for - to be you and to write in such a way that maybe it helps to make things seem less onerous. Happy blogs are kind of boring I always think!! If I am happy I tend to do something other than blog.
As for the job thing - I don't think it is a bad thing, certainly not in any way failure. It is good to have a wotsit in more than one wotsit (what is it - finger? pie?). I have stayed employed by the Uni - only a few hours a week - just as a safety net and also to provide new contacts. It is a positive thing. As will your job be. You never know what or who it may lead you to.
Oh my English is rubbish today, isn't it? I write better when I am sad or puzzled.
Just catching up with your blog. Do hope your health improves soon and don't abandon the blog - when things are tough a blog can be a great place to let off steam and take stock. And remember, times are financially difficult for many freelances right now. There's no shame in taking a part-time job to help make ends meet when needs must. It doesn't make you a failure. The price of everything is rocketing right now - you won't be the first to source alternative income streams to pay the bills. It's part of being a freelance and accepting that work can be cyclical an/or feast/famine.
Thanks for the kind words. I know it's hard for everyone right now and I'm frustrated that I can't spend 'enough' time trying to explore other avenues and market myself. I still have some optimism at the back of my head that I will be inundated any moment now. The failure issue really comes from my OH's viewpoint - he still hasn't forgiven me for taking a pay cut to go from Editorial Secretary to Desk Editor 10 years ago (back then PA's got £16k and Assistant Desk Eds got £12k) and really doesn't understand why enjoy doing what I do - he's very logical rather than creative (we're true opposites)
I really do feel for you. Sounds to me like you could do with a break.
I know it's not easy when there are so many pressures on you, but getting your health problems under control really needs to be your top priority. Remember what they tell you as they're taxiing down the runway - if the oxygen masks descend, put yours on first so you can help your children.
As for the freelance/part-time job situation, just because you take the job doesn't mean the end of freelancing; you can always keep a bit of work bubbling along if you have the time. On the other hand, there's something to be said for having a bit of security in troubling times, and it sounds like that might be just what the doctor ordered for you.
Take care, and keep smiling.
Yikes, I think 10 years is a long time not to forgive someone for changing jobs. Surely he should be pleased you are doing something you really enjoy than being stuck in a job you hate. Money is not everything. Mr Dougalfish needs to lighten up and give you a little more support. You are in this together and in these current tough times there are more important things to discuss than stuff that happened 10 years ago.
Absolutely - a part-time job isn't a failure, look on it as developing a "portfolio career"!
I've just blogged about being irritated by crunch-credit-hysteria but perhaps part of the reason I'm not affected (yet) by global economics is because I've diversified. I have regular journalism, I have corporate writing, I do some editing, I run a training company and I have a part-time PR role.
A tip from me - I have a savings account and sell off books I've read and DVDs I've watched on Amazon - over a year the money trickles into my savings and it adds up to more than you think.
I also sold my ex's vinyl collection for many hundreds of pounds on there, which might be something you could consider next time Mr Dougalfish is having a break?
You're probably crediting your OH with too much here!! Most can't remember what happened last week let alone 10 years ago!!
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