Working at home

Another day in the books. Did this one from home, and I really, really enjoyed myself. Whether it was because I had a lot to do, or I was comfortable, or I just kept looking at the clock and thinking, "that's another hour! cha-ching!"... I'm not sure. But at least yesterday, I was able to keep focused, and billed 8 hours. No stopping to put the laundry in, no running out for a quick errand, just working.

My "home office"

Every once in a while I would let my mind wonder for a few minutes about whether or not I could keep this up. Not the working or focus part. The, um, client part. The client I am working for now has a very seasonal work load, focused around the election cycle mainly. That's why the timing right now works out so mutually beneficial to both of us. If I can bill them 4-8 hours a day, every day, for a month, I don't need another client in that month.

But what happens in December? I haven't looked for full-time employment with a company at all this week. Will I be able to maintain self-employment? Do I start looking for other clients? Do I want to start looking for other clients?

Of course all that led me to jump right to, "I need a website! I need a name! I need business cards!..." At which point I'd go, "whoa. You need to finish this task for this one client and then determine what's next."

So I'll give myself today -- another work at home day -- to see if I can maintain focus. Then tomorrow I go into the client site to report on what I've done. Let's tackle how long-term this is next week.

Day One ... In the Books

My first day of self-employment is officially recorded. At least, it's officially recorded in my laughable tracking spreadsheet I created in Numbers. I still haven't actually deposited any money from said self-employment.

But the day went really well. I spent most of the day at their offices, and everyone was so welcoming and helpful. People actually stopped by the cubicle I was sitting in and introduced themselves. Like, without incentive or provocation or any ulterior motive. Just to be... friendly.

It was a good day mentally, too. My biggest fear was that I would arrive and they'd give me a really, really cool task... that I had no idea how to do. Like, "go set up a petition drive in this area." Which sounds like something totally up my alley -- lots of moving parts, lots of logistics, lots of planning.

But I've never actually done one of those. Would I get a cheat sheet? Would there be tasks specifically assigned within the project? All I'd need was to see if once -- then I could take it from there. I just couldn't handle some ambiguous component of a campaign that I had no idea what to do with.

Luckily, I arrived on a day of a new project. A potential one, even, and was given the task of researching the issue and creating a team brief. SCORE! That, I can completely do.

I worked there for a few hours then treated myself to dinner at Proof...

Yummy roasted beet salad from Proof. Plus wine, of course.

And you really can't NOT get a cheese plate while at Proof... (notice how there isn't really anything left of the salad!)

... after all, I had EARNED IT, hadn't I?

Starting Today

Starting today. Going into the city in an hour to start my first self-employed gig. Wish me luck.

Clarendon Day 10K

Photos from the 2nd Annual Clarendon Day 5K & 10K, a road running race from Clarendon to Rosslyn. Arlington, VA. September 25, 2010. Photo by Brian W Knight of Swim Bike Run Photography.

The Clarendon Day 10K on Saturday. Mike is on my right, and got cut out of the photo. He ended up running circles around me by the finish.

The First Monday

It's the first Monday since I decided to go self-employed, and the first Monday after I got the email confirmation that this first consulting gig would work out and I am.... sitting at the kitchen counter watching an interview with Justin Timberlake on Good Morning America.

Because while the email accepted my terms, it left open actually starting.

Don't misinterpret. I'm not angry, especially at the friend arranging this gig for me. I said in the last post that part of the reason this was perfect is that it is mutually beneficial -- I need work and he has gobs of it. He needs time (I'm assuming) to delegate and actually decide what. I'm. going. to. be. doing.

So I'm up early, work out done, breakfast eaten, dog walked, shower completed. In other words, I'm ready.

But I guess while I'm waiting I should go check out some job postings...

Goldie's helping me wait... although secretly hoping I'll stay home always.

Hello World, Are You There? It's Me, Maureen

Tip toe, tip toe... maybe I can sneak back in to your Google Readers? It's been a long, long time, I know. You've probably forgotten all about me, wrote me off as a flaky friend. Maybe you even hold a grudge that I went away without really saying goodbye.

Will you welcome me back, though? Give me another chance? Berate me for being gone, sure. But then let me sit back down at the table with you?

I haven't posted in over a year. I had a good thing going here, but a lot of changes in my work and personal life made this feel a bit like a chore. And you didn't want to be pandered to, did you? Really, this was all for your own good.

And maybe you'll let me back now. More changes going on, but ones that I hope are positive. Ones that will open up new doors, introduce new people, and ultimately (I'm convinced) will make me happier.

Most of you know by now, but I was laid off from the association I worked with for eight years. It was tough to swallow. It was a shock. It was embarrassing.

But it was also good. I don't want to talk about my former employer (I did learn a little bit in all my time as the social media guru there, after all), so I'll just say it was time. That didn't make it easier to hear the news when I was just expecting a few programs budgets to get reduced, but I have to look forward, and not back.

I'm sad about the people left behind, and hope some of those relationships will continue once things calm down. But I'm elated at the people that "came with me." No, no, not others that were laid off. I mean business associates that showed themselves as true friends. I have submitted a dozen resumes in the past two weeks, and the only nibbles I have gotten anywhere are through people I already know, or introductions through people I've worked with.

And, frankly, that kinda makes me feel good about the business impression I left.

Ok, enough boasting there.

Oh, wait, this is my blog. You'll have to deal with it.

But that's not why I'm here today. The number one reason I sat down at the computer (a new MacBook, by the way... I am now a total Mac convert) is because I'd like to start chronicling something new.

I got a job.

Or, I created a job.

My own.

It's unexpected, but I have a bit of a consulting gig that is supposed to start next week. It's through the good graces of a friend, but hey -- why not mutually benefit from me having time on my hands? And wouldn't you know it, while I was talking to him about working a few hours a week, another former client contacted me to say they needed someone 10-15 hours a week. That one isn't a sure-thing yet, but it did get me thinking that I could be pretty darned productive the next few months while still looking for another job. I could be more selective. It would take a lot of pressure off. And... I get to try self-employment out and see if it might actually work.

Interested in finding out with me?

Please let me know if I miraculously show up in your readers or if for some unknown reason you actually check this blog periodically... leave me a comment, let me know if you're still there.