The last 3 weeks have been quite have been turbulent. I interviewed for a started a new job on May 21st, after a whirlwind week of an interview, an offer, and then a mad scramble to get a huge laundry list of tasks done that I had not managed to do in the last 9 MONTHS OF UNEMPLOYMENT… which only goes to show you that there will never be the perfect time to write… ever. If you have free time it will be sucked away by the act of living if you do not prioritize writing into it.
I also had to take my beloved Toshiba laptop in for service. The keyboard would not allow me to type O’s, U’s or T’s… which tends to make your job as a writer extremely difficult. Luckily it was covered by my extended warranty (avoiding a $135.00) bill, but it was away for service for a little over a week which brought all writing projects and social media to a grinding halt. With an ancient HP Pavilion notebook that had no battery life whatsoever that had to share my wife’s AC Adapter to function, my media access was limited, and my Twitter and blog feeds silent. I need a better backup plan, but the urgency of starting a new job overrode all other priorities.
Yes, I am putting the dream of freelancing full-time on hold for now. With my wife still searching for a full-time teaching position, and the expense of raising 4 active, intelligent kids with interests in everything ranging from the musical (playing violin and percussion) to the athletic (tennis and soccer). I needed to settle for a steady paycheck and have a better plan if this ever happens again. I’d prefer to make money with my content as opposed to freelancing right now, so I have a somewhat steady cash flow coming in to support the somewhat unpredictable nature of freelance commercial writing.
BUT I AM STILL TAKING ON FREELANCE ASSIGNMENTS on evenings and weekends…
It is strange getting used to working at a busy office. I have been working from home for so long that I’m not used to sharing the microwave in the lunchroom or trying to remember the names of 80 new co-workers. Learning the inside information and social norms of the company. All companies are living, breathing organisms with unique customs, habits, traditions and language. The personalities create history, inside jokes and memories of the way things “used to be.” Each location adds its own geographical quirks and background to the mix. And I have to get used to being at a specific cubicle for a specific period of time each weekday… and used to a commute and business-casual attire (no more paint-spattered sweatpants and Superman t-shirts for me anymore).
So be patient with me as I ease into this new phase of my life. The content will come as I continue to settle in. I want to focus on creating content right now instead of building a business.