It's happened already. The "Happy Holidays!" versus "Merry Christmas!"
Yesterday, at the coffee shop, the individual behind the counter wished me "Happy Holidays!" My response? "You, too!"
Now, I have been heard to say and have fully intended to respond with a firm and possibly partially judgemental, "Merry Christmas." Trouble is, it wasn't Christmas yet, despite what retailers would have you think as of well before Halloween (don't get me started on that one or we'll be here all day). Wasn't really even Thanksgiving yet - one more subject that I'll feel the need to expand upon at some point in time. I mean, to whom or what are you giving thanks, anyway? Think about it. Really think about it. We'll get back to this a little later.
Anyway, I didn't give my response any thought until just a few minutes ago. The "You, too!" just kind of came out automatically, as it does whenever someone says, "Have a nice day!" Don't judge. We all do it at some point. It's become the standard response to any well wishes, hasn't it? A little too standard but, again, another subject for further exploration at a later time.
Now, don't get me wrong. I have no problem with this current practice. Well, I don't anymore. I did at first. How dare you take away the holiday I celebrate? What's wrong with you? Forget the religious component, "Merry Christmas!" is tradition and you should never go messing around with tradition. Besides, a certain name is part of the name of the day. What are you gonna do? Change the name of the day? You can't. It's tradition. So there. It offends me that you are offended by me wishing you a "Merry Christmas!"
And I could go on. In fact, at one time, I probably would have. This year, however, if someone wants to wish me "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" I'm not going to publically chastise them for doing so. After all, "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons Greetings" were being used long before it became politically correct to do so.
It has also occurred to me that the individual behind the counter has probably been forbidden by their employer to even mention Christmas in polite company. After all, the employer is in it to make money and doesn't want to take the chance of offending someone who might object to being wished a "Merry Christmas!" We are supposed to be the melting pot of civilization here in North America and just because someone is in the USA doesn't mean they share the same political or religious views, morals or otherwise. And we don't want to go around offending people left and right, now do we? Um, no pun intended there.
So, this year and following, I have decided that I'll let go of my offense that someone might be offended if I wish them "Merry Christmas!", respond in kind and get on with my merry little life.
Who cares if I'm wished "Happy Holidays" and not "Merry Christmas!"? Doesn't matter in the least. I know what holidays I acknowledge this time of year and they are multiple - Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Which means, to wish me happy multiple holidays is, in fact, the correct greeting.
Now, about Thanksgiving. If you are in the USA, or even if you're not, to whom or what are you giving thanks today?
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Monday, November 2, 2015
It's NANOWRIMO Time!
Holy NANOWRIMO, Batman! It's that time again.
And now I have my post title running through my head to the Howdy Doody theme. OY! Stop that!
I hadn't intended to participate this year but got guilted into it - by myself, which is truly sad but what can you do?
Not sure how this will all work considering I'm taking another copywriting course through the rest of the year. This one has actual homework to go with it so I'm gonna be a real busy girl for the next two months.
Still dragging me feet putting meself out there for jobs, though. It's a confidence thing and this course should help with that. Just sent in my first assignment and waiting on pins and needles for the result. I procrastinated so long that I only gave myself a couple of days to get it done. But get it done, I did and I think it was pretty good for a start.
I'll be able to use my homework in my writing sample portfolio so I'll have something to showcase when I finally get out there. It's either this or the cube farm and time is quickly running out for that decision. Although, now I'm thinking that even if I do have to get another cube job, it won't be for nearly as long as the last one. And it will give me some breathing room while I work on both writing gigs.
Meanwhile, I've been slacking in the writing department. One reason I jumped on the NANOWRIMO bandwagon. At least this way I'll write something every day even if I don't come up a winner this year. But I probably will. It would be a real let down if I don't have that new banner to display up there at the top.
I do have a competitive streak. Now if I could just use that competitive streak to get out there and find me some copywriting clients, I'd be in business - finally.
And now I have my post title running through my head to the Howdy Doody theme. OY! Stop that!
I hadn't intended to participate this year but got guilted into it - by myself, which is truly sad but what can you do?
Not sure how this will all work considering I'm taking another copywriting course through the rest of the year. This one has actual homework to go with it so I'm gonna be a real busy girl for the next two months.
Still dragging me feet putting meself out there for jobs, though. It's a confidence thing and this course should help with that. Just sent in my first assignment and waiting on pins and needles for the result. I procrastinated so long that I only gave myself a couple of days to get it done. But get it done, I did and I think it was pretty good for a start.
I'll be able to use my homework in my writing sample portfolio so I'll have something to showcase when I finally get out there. It's either this or the cube farm and time is quickly running out for that decision. Although, now I'm thinking that even if I do have to get another cube job, it won't be for nearly as long as the last one. And it will give me some breathing room while I work on both writing gigs.
Meanwhile, I've been slacking in the writing department. One reason I jumped on the NANOWRIMO bandwagon. At least this way I'll write something every day even if I don't come up a winner this year. But I probably will. It would be a real let down if I don't have that new banner to display up there at the top.
I do have a competitive streak. Now if I could just use that competitive streak to get out there and find me some copywriting clients, I'd be in business - finally.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Vacation is Over and A Brief HP Envy/Windows 10 Review
I can't believe it will be a year this month since I left CoreSource.
As I look back on the last year, I can see where I was productive in some ways yet not so productive in others. I guess you could say that I've just had that year-long vacation I always dreamed of and now I'm ready to get down to work again. Productive or not, the time off has been good for me. It gave me a chance to decompress and prepare for the next phase of my life.
Even though there were people praying that this would happen for me, I still felt a bit resentful that I had been let go when they kept others who I knew were doing more harm than good. A friend of mine is still there and I must confess that whenever she posted something work related on Facebook, I got a resentful twinge. Especially when I saw my desk all cleared up. Silly, I know, but real nonetheless.
Then, when I got the call a few months ago that another office wanted my help but then never heard about it again, I felt really let down. Not so much now. In fact, it's a good thing that part didn't work out. I know the kind of pain in the butt it would have been and I also know they wouldn't have wanted to pay me what I would have wanted to do the job. It was also the clean break I really needed in order to move on.
Which brings me to where I am right now. As this first year post CoreSource comes to a close, I need to decide what I want to do with myself in the years to come.
After reading more about Medical Coding and hearing what real life is like as a Medical Coder from someone who does it and hates it, that career path is no longer of interest to me. Sounds too much like what I left nearly a year ago. Instead, I am opting to step up the copywriting game and take a path toward specializing in B2B.
For those that might not know, B2B stands for Business to Business in the marketing and copywriting world. It's niche where I can do as much or as little as I want and still make some good money. Since my main interest is in fiction writing, I see B2B as a way of working part time yet still making enough money to get by until, you know, that book hits the big time. Yeah. Gotta finish it first, silly girl, and then write several more and then maybe.
Anyway, since I was no longer going to spend $3500 on a Medical Coding education, I bought a new computer and monitor. The old set up had developed quite a few issues that were getting in the way of getting stuff done. Kind of hard to work when the monitor goes out with the slightest touch. Or when the computer just hangs there without warning. Really annoying and not all that productive. Now if I could just find a way of boosting the quality of my internet, I'd really be in business.
Apparently, we have to slowest internet on the planet - Centurylink. We can upgrade to something Centurylink claims is faster but I'm pretty skeptical at this point. Especially considering all of the outages we seem to experience with Centurylink. I really don't want to spend more money on something that doesn't work any better.
Not that I have any other options right now. I used to have ATT U-verse at the last place I lived and I loved it. Even when a bad wind storm blew through, while everyone else had no electric much less internet, I still had internet, TV and phone all functioning up to normal. Where I currently live, however, ATT is not available. Yet. I was out and about yesterday and passed where they were burying some kind of something then I passed an ATT truck. I know they are working on getting us service out here so hopefully soon we'll be switching.
Meanwhile, a new router and wi-fi extender will have to do.
Also meanwhile, the fiction writing is on hold for the time being while I fully concentrate on doing what I need to do in order to be making money at the copywriting thing. Hoping to be financially productive by the end of the year.
Which brings me to those reviews I mention.
Because I like to play RPG games that require quite a bit of computer power to run, I configured this new computer with that in mind.
I ended up with an HP Envy 750qe. I wanted a Phoenix, but that would have cost a lot more money after configuring to my specs. The Envy was the next best choice and the 750qe, I believe, is the top of that line. Of course, if I had waited, the Phoenix is now on sale and I might have been able to have gotten it for close the same price. That's the breaks, I guess.
I have been an HP computer owner for several years now and each new computer comes with a redesigned keyboard. This one was no exception and it is a lot smaller than I'm used to. Hardly takes up any room on my desk, which is a good thing because my desk is not all that big. This keyboard reminds me of a black version of a MAC keyboard. The feel of the keys is something to get used to, as well. They take just a light touch and do work smoothly, but I think the spacing is a lot closer now.
Then there's the placement of the extra USB ports and the smart card reader on the box. Instead of being on the front, these are now located in the top. That might not sound inconvenient, but it actually is in a way. The top of the box is only flush with the front for a couple of inches before it drops down about an inch. The extra ports and card reader are installed there and facing the back of the unit. If you house your computer inside a cubby, this will be quite the annoyance. I use an old 20-gallon fish tank stand that has a low shelf. It's the perfect size for a computer box and there is space between the top of the stand and the top of the box for me to access these ports but it's still something I don't particularly like.
I got the blue-ray optical drive this time, which now sits on edge instead of flat. That, at least, is in the front - in fact, it's the only thing in the front. There's a metal flap covering it and what might be some kind of vent just below the player. I thought my old computer had a blue-ray in it but when I purchased the DVD of my favorite Scrooge video, I found out the hard way that it doesn't. I could still watch the black and white version that was, thankfully, included but until I had access to a blue-ray player, the colorized version remained unwatched. I haven't tried the player yet so I can't speak to the quality one way or the other.
The computer itself is a lot faster than I'm used to, but then I configured it to be so. As I said, I do some gaming - not online because, well, I'm not all that good at it and I'd probably get killed in the first 5 seconds and that's not fun. Anyway, because the games I do play are so graphics intensive, the old computer worked but there were frequent issues that I'm hoping this new computer will resolve. I did test one game that crashed quite a bit with the old computer but didn't experience any crashes in 5 or 6 hours of play.
The monitor is amazing. I got the 27-inch Pavillion wide screen. This monitor is a lot thinner than the last one and runs a lot cooler, as well. That old monitor was really heating up the room. This new monitor is also fully 1080p HD. Still have trouble watching HD content on Amazon Prime but I'm hoping upgrading the internet will help that. The viewable part goes pretty much edge to edge now with the bezel being about half an inch, which means the monitor isn't a whole lot bigger than the last one. A good thing because my desk really isn't all that big.
And then there's the Windows 10 operating system.
Now, I got used to Windows 8 with my laptop and phone. Didn't much like it as well as Windows 7 but I could deal with it. Windows 10, on the other hand, already liking a lot of what this OS has to offer.
The computer now boots up to the familiar desktop instead of the tiles. I didn't mind the tiles so much since one of them took me straight to the desktop. Not that I booted up my laptop often. I usually just closed the lid when I was done with it so it came right back to where I left off when I turned it back on. The start button is still the little window instead of the old round one, which I've decided I actually like better.
There's a lot to love with Windows 10. Many convenient features right there at your fingertips without having to run through a bunch of screens to get where you want to go. The start menu has changed dramatically. That's where the tiles come back in as well some other menu choices. It takes some time to learn where all of the usual stuff is located in Windows 10. Like your power options or screen saver settings. But now that I'm used to it, I actually like the way the start screen is arranged. Once again, everything I'm looking for is right at my fingertips.
The overall appearance of Windows 10 seems much cleaner and more streamlined to me. If I have to have one complaint, it would be that the taskbar can't be made as transparent as it could be in Windows 7. I always liked how I could see part of my desktop wallpaper through the taskbar. With Windows 10, the best I can get is sort of a semi-sheer gray.
Another small complaint is the very wide search box built into the taskbar. I have yet to find a way of removing it so I'm assuming there is no way. It just seems to take up a lot of space right there and I'm not sure how much I'll actually use it. Not a huge deal on the desktop but on a small laptop like mine, it's a space waster.
One of the coolest features, however, I discovered quite by accident. There's this little icon right next to the huge search window that will show me all of the windows I have open in their entirety. A lot smaller, of course, but large enough that I can see what's in any window and decide if I want to go there or close it. It's really kind of cool, this feature, and I can see me using this one a lot.
The Action Center is now a sidebar kind of thing that slides in from the right and where all notifications can be seen. This sidebar pops in and out with the press of an icon in the system tray part of the taskbar. This replaces the Action Center flag that used to appear there and can be accessed without having to leave what you're currently working on. The icon shows up white when there are notifications to review. There is also a little popup that will slide out from the side with messages.
One note on the system tray. It is now a fixed size and only shows 4 icons. To see the rest, you have to click the little /\. Kind of annoying but I suppose it's not that big of a deal. I just always liked seeing everything that was there.
There are other features that I just haven't had the time to experience yet.
So, if you're wondering if Windows 10 is worth the trouble, I really think it is. Windows 10 also includes the convenient compatibility troubleshooter that I have had to use after upgrading my parent's computers but so far, have only had to use with one program on mine. Don't know if that's because mine was built with Window 10 to start with or not. Just know that it's there and can be used if you upgrade and find your programs don't work as well as they used to. So far, I haven't found a program yet that can't be made compatible and I have some older programs on mine.
As I look back on the last year, I can see where I was productive in some ways yet not so productive in others. I guess you could say that I've just had that year-long vacation I always dreamed of and now I'm ready to get down to work again. Productive or not, the time off has been good for me. It gave me a chance to decompress and prepare for the next phase of my life.
Even though there were people praying that this would happen for me, I still felt a bit resentful that I had been let go when they kept others who I knew were doing more harm than good. A friend of mine is still there and I must confess that whenever she posted something work related on Facebook, I got a resentful twinge. Especially when I saw my desk all cleared up. Silly, I know, but real nonetheless.
Then, when I got the call a few months ago that another office wanted my help but then never heard about it again, I felt really let down. Not so much now. In fact, it's a good thing that part didn't work out. I know the kind of pain in the butt it would have been and I also know they wouldn't have wanted to pay me what I would have wanted to do the job. It was also the clean break I really needed in order to move on.
Which brings me to where I am right now. As this first year post CoreSource comes to a close, I need to decide what I want to do with myself in the years to come.
After reading more about Medical Coding and hearing what real life is like as a Medical Coder from someone who does it and hates it, that career path is no longer of interest to me. Sounds too much like what I left nearly a year ago. Instead, I am opting to step up the copywriting game and take a path toward specializing in B2B.
For those that might not know, B2B stands for Business to Business in the marketing and copywriting world. It's niche where I can do as much or as little as I want and still make some good money. Since my main interest is in fiction writing, I see B2B as a way of working part time yet still making enough money to get by until, you know, that book hits the big time. Yeah. Gotta finish it first, silly girl, and then write several more and then maybe.
Anyway, since I was no longer going to spend $3500 on a Medical Coding education, I bought a new computer and monitor. The old set up had developed quite a few issues that were getting in the way of getting stuff done. Kind of hard to work when the monitor goes out with the slightest touch. Or when the computer just hangs there without warning. Really annoying and not all that productive. Now if I could just find a way of boosting the quality of my internet, I'd really be in business.
Apparently, we have to slowest internet on the planet - Centurylink. We can upgrade to something Centurylink claims is faster but I'm pretty skeptical at this point. Especially considering all of the outages we seem to experience with Centurylink. I really don't want to spend more money on something that doesn't work any better.
Not that I have any other options right now. I used to have ATT U-verse at the last place I lived and I loved it. Even when a bad wind storm blew through, while everyone else had no electric much less internet, I still had internet, TV and phone all functioning up to normal. Where I currently live, however, ATT is not available. Yet. I was out and about yesterday and passed where they were burying some kind of something then I passed an ATT truck. I know they are working on getting us service out here so hopefully soon we'll be switching.
Meanwhile, a new router and wi-fi extender will have to do.
Also meanwhile, the fiction writing is on hold for the time being while I fully concentrate on doing what I need to do in order to be making money at the copywriting thing. Hoping to be financially productive by the end of the year.
Which brings me to those reviews I mention.
Because I like to play RPG games that require quite a bit of computer power to run, I configured this new computer with that in mind.
I ended up with an HP Envy 750qe. I wanted a Phoenix, but that would have cost a lot more money after configuring to my specs. The Envy was the next best choice and the 750qe, I believe, is the top of that line. Of course, if I had waited, the Phoenix is now on sale and I might have been able to have gotten it for close the same price. That's the breaks, I guess.
I have been an HP computer owner for several years now and each new computer comes with a redesigned keyboard. This one was no exception and it is a lot smaller than I'm used to. Hardly takes up any room on my desk, which is a good thing because my desk is not all that big. This keyboard reminds me of a black version of a MAC keyboard. The feel of the keys is something to get used to, as well. They take just a light touch and do work smoothly, but I think the spacing is a lot closer now.
Then there's the placement of the extra USB ports and the smart card reader on the box. Instead of being on the front, these are now located in the top. That might not sound inconvenient, but it actually is in a way. The top of the box is only flush with the front for a couple of inches before it drops down about an inch. The extra ports and card reader are installed there and facing the back of the unit. If you house your computer inside a cubby, this will be quite the annoyance. I use an old 20-gallon fish tank stand that has a low shelf. It's the perfect size for a computer box and there is space between the top of the stand and the top of the box for me to access these ports but it's still something I don't particularly like.
I got the blue-ray optical drive this time, which now sits on edge instead of flat. That, at least, is in the front - in fact, it's the only thing in the front. There's a metal flap covering it and what might be some kind of vent just below the player. I thought my old computer had a blue-ray in it but when I purchased the DVD of my favorite Scrooge video, I found out the hard way that it doesn't. I could still watch the black and white version that was, thankfully, included but until I had access to a blue-ray player, the colorized version remained unwatched. I haven't tried the player yet so I can't speak to the quality one way or the other.
The computer itself is a lot faster than I'm used to, but then I configured it to be so. As I said, I do some gaming - not online because, well, I'm not all that good at it and I'd probably get killed in the first 5 seconds and that's not fun. Anyway, because the games I do play are so graphics intensive, the old computer worked but there were frequent issues that I'm hoping this new computer will resolve. I did test one game that crashed quite a bit with the old computer but didn't experience any crashes in 5 or 6 hours of play.
The monitor is amazing. I got the 27-inch Pavillion wide screen. This monitor is a lot thinner than the last one and runs a lot cooler, as well. That old monitor was really heating up the room. This new monitor is also fully 1080p HD. Still have trouble watching HD content on Amazon Prime but I'm hoping upgrading the internet will help that. The viewable part goes pretty much edge to edge now with the bezel being about half an inch, which means the monitor isn't a whole lot bigger than the last one. A good thing because my desk really isn't all that big.
And then there's the Windows 10 operating system.
Now, I got used to Windows 8 with my laptop and phone. Didn't much like it as well as Windows 7 but I could deal with it. Windows 10, on the other hand, already liking a lot of what this OS has to offer.
The computer now boots up to the familiar desktop instead of the tiles. I didn't mind the tiles so much since one of them took me straight to the desktop. Not that I booted up my laptop often. I usually just closed the lid when I was done with it so it came right back to where I left off when I turned it back on. The start button is still the little window instead of the old round one, which I've decided I actually like better.
There's a lot to love with Windows 10. Many convenient features right there at your fingertips without having to run through a bunch of screens to get where you want to go. The start menu has changed dramatically. That's where the tiles come back in as well some other menu choices. It takes some time to learn where all of the usual stuff is located in Windows 10. Like your power options or screen saver settings. But now that I'm used to it, I actually like the way the start screen is arranged. Once again, everything I'm looking for is right at my fingertips.
The overall appearance of Windows 10 seems much cleaner and more streamlined to me. If I have to have one complaint, it would be that the taskbar can't be made as transparent as it could be in Windows 7. I always liked how I could see part of my desktop wallpaper through the taskbar. With Windows 10, the best I can get is sort of a semi-sheer gray.
Another small complaint is the very wide search box built into the taskbar. I have yet to find a way of removing it so I'm assuming there is no way. It just seems to take up a lot of space right there and I'm not sure how much I'll actually use it. Not a huge deal on the desktop but on a small laptop like mine, it's a space waster.
One of the coolest features, however, I discovered quite by accident. There's this little icon right next to the huge search window that will show me all of the windows I have open in their entirety. A lot smaller, of course, but large enough that I can see what's in any window and decide if I want to go there or close it. It's really kind of cool, this feature, and I can see me using this one a lot.
The Action Center is now a sidebar kind of thing that slides in from the right and where all notifications can be seen. This sidebar pops in and out with the press of an icon in the system tray part of the taskbar. This replaces the Action Center flag that used to appear there and can be accessed without having to leave what you're currently working on. The icon shows up white when there are notifications to review. There is also a little popup that will slide out from the side with messages.
One note on the system tray. It is now a fixed size and only shows 4 icons. To see the rest, you have to click the little /\. Kind of annoying but I suppose it's not that big of a deal. I just always liked seeing everything that was there.
There are other features that I just haven't had the time to experience yet.
So, if you're wondering if Windows 10 is worth the trouble, I really think it is. Windows 10 also includes the convenient compatibility troubleshooter that I have had to use after upgrading my parent's computers but so far, have only had to use with one program on mine. Don't know if that's because mine was built with Window 10 to start with or not. Just know that it's there and can be used if you upgrade and find your programs don't work as well as they used to. So far, I haven't found a program yet that can't be made compatible and I have some older programs on mine.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Decision Made - Furthering My Education
No, I am not giving up on novel writing or copywriting. I'm just setting myself up to make a stable paycheck whilst the other two options continue to percolate.
As I mentioned previously, finances are dwindling and if I want to continue to keep up with the bills I've taken on as my responsibility, I gotta do something. I do regret not considering this current option sooner. I'll be entering the world of Medical Coding just as soon as I complete the training process and take the certification tests.
This is something I can do from home and possibly on a part-time basis. Whatever I do to make a living, a flexible schedule is a must. As you know, I live at home with my aging parents and the need for my services as a chauffeur is becoming more and more a thing around here. Doctor's appointments, other appointment-type things and such.
From what I'm told, going into Medical Coding is a viable option for me. This will be the other side of the insurance biz from whence I've already come. My previous knowledge should help and, just maybe, I might even find some other sort of clients this way where my writing can be used.
We'll see. But it'll be a busy rest of the year for me. If I want to be working by the end of February 2016, I need to do the full-time study/learning route so I can do the cert tests in early February. One site had two demo test questions, which I answered confidently thinking my previous experience would prove valuable.
Yeah, not so much. I failed both questions. So it's a-studying I will go for the next four months - well, once I'm enrolled and have the things from which I'll be learning. Might even get a free laptop in the bargain. Either that or money off the tuition. I'll have to decide that when enrollment time gets here.
I'm excited to embark upon this new journey and it will be good to have some structure to my day again. I have found that, left to my own devices, I will procrastinate and just plain goof off. I must confess that I've been doing that pretty much ever since I left work last year.
I still find it hard to believe it's soon going to be a full year since I last held a job. I do think, however, that the time has been beneficial. I am more or less rested now and with the exception of seasonal allergies, I'm feeling pretty good. I've even lost a bit of weight recently. The migraines have been whittled down to once in a great while when I used to get them weekly. I'm definitely hoping this new career path doesn't bring them back. If I can work from home, on a flexible schedule without having to be exposed to office politics, I think I'll be okay.
The writing part will continue, have no fear of that. In fact, much to the consternation of my writing group, I am currently revisiting some old friends and writing their story from a completely different focus. I'm incorporating some old and new ideas that I think will help this story write itself all the way to the conclusion. At least, that's how it is currently working. As long as this continues, the story will continue.
The other story, while still in need of some serious revision, is currently simmering on the back burner. I do have the synopsis completed for that one but I think what I'm working on now will go much faster so I'm just going to go with it. If necessary, I'll work on both at the same time - while studying full-time.
Yep. Gonna need a firm schedule for all this but then that's what I'm looking forward to.
As I mentioned previously, finances are dwindling and if I want to continue to keep up with the bills I've taken on as my responsibility, I gotta do something. I do regret not considering this current option sooner. I'll be entering the world of Medical Coding just as soon as I complete the training process and take the certification tests.
This is something I can do from home and possibly on a part-time basis. Whatever I do to make a living, a flexible schedule is a must. As you know, I live at home with my aging parents and the need for my services as a chauffeur is becoming more and more a thing around here. Doctor's appointments, other appointment-type things and such.
From what I'm told, going into Medical Coding is a viable option for me. This will be the other side of the insurance biz from whence I've already come. My previous knowledge should help and, just maybe, I might even find some other sort of clients this way where my writing can be used.
We'll see. But it'll be a busy rest of the year for me. If I want to be working by the end of February 2016, I need to do the full-time study/learning route so I can do the cert tests in early February. One site had two demo test questions, which I answered confidently thinking my previous experience would prove valuable.
Yeah, not so much. I failed both questions. So it's a-studying I will go for the next four months - well, once I'm enrolled and have the things from which I'll be learning. Might even get a free laptop in the bargain. Either that or money off the tuition. I'll have to decide that when enrollment time gets here.
I'm excited to embark upon this new journey and it will be good to have some structure to my day again. I have found that, left to my own devices, I will procrastinate and just plain goof off. I must confess that I've been doing that pretty much ever since I left work last year.
I still find it hard to believe it's soon going to be a full year since I last held a job. I do think, however, that the time has been beneficial. I am more or less rested now and with the exception of seasonal allergies, I'm feeling pretty good. I've even lost a bit of weight recently. The migraines have been whittled down to once in a great while when I used to get them weekly. I'm definitely hoping this new career path doesn't bring them back. If I can work from home, on a flexible schedule without having to be exposed to office politics, I think I'll be okay.
The writing part will continue, have no fear of that. In fact, much to the consternation of my writing group, I am currently revisiting some old friends and writing their story from a completely different focus. I'm incorporating some old and new ideas that I think will help this story write itself all the way to the conclusion. At least, that's how it is currently working. As long as this continues, the story will continue.
The other story, while still in need of some serious revision, is currently simmering on the back burner. I do have the synopsis completed for that one but I think what I'm working on now will go much faster so I'm just going to go with it. If necessary, I'll work on both at the same time - while studying full-time.
Yep. Gonna need a firm schedule for all this but then that's what I'm looking forward to.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Don't Panic!
Don't know if anyone else reading this can relate but when the finances are in limbo, panic might just set in. As it did for me this week. Savings only lasts so long and living costs money. When no money is coming in...you get the idea. This is when the rubber meets the road and a decision must be made - to try and stick it out and hope something good happens or go out and make something good happen.
To alleviate one burden on my shoulders, I have shelved the novel in favor of working toward becoming an actively working copywriter. I'm putting myself through a refresher of the courses I've taken and actually doing more of the work this time than I did last time. They said it was really important and I have become a hardcore believer.
In an effort to become that actively working copywriter, I prepared to apply to one of those writing sites where a writer can get paid to complete writing assignments. It's not going to be the same kind of money I've been told can be made as a successful copywriter. Not even close. But it will give me experience as well as build up some confidence - which I'm seriously lacking at this point. I'll also end up with some good writing samples to pad my portfolio.
Part of the application process required a sample of my writing. I could choose up to 3 categories and write 500 words for each. Thankfully, one of those categories is beauty and since I do write a beauty blog, one would think that one would be a no-brainer. Wrong. My brain went completely blank. As it did with the other two categories I chose, about which I should be able to speak prolifically - games and food. Yeah. Not so much. Total blank there as well.
As you can probably guess, this did not help the panic setting in at facing a financial crisis.
However, I do have resources to help me get back on track. I'm sad that the novel has to take a backseat but it is nowhere near ready for publication and even if it was, there's no guarantee it will make anything much less the kind of money I need to meet my monthly obligations.
I spent so much time working on the novel and not practicing my copywriting, that I lost some of the ability. The skill of copywriting is like any other skill. It must be practiced. Sports players have to practice their skills in order to compete. Musicians have to practice in order to play their chosen instrument. Singers must practice their talent as well in order to keep their voice in top condition. Shouldn't writers also need the same practice to hone their skill to the highest quality? Darn right.
So, practice, relearn what was once known, do the work to attraction the attention of potential clients - this all needs to be done and done quickly. Like my savings, this year is almost gone. Do I really want the year to end without having done what I set out to do in January?
Of course, there is one option and it makes me shudder to even put it to voice. I could look for another cube job. I was pretty good at the last one but do I really want to go there - even for a short period of time? I feel anxiety come on even thinking of it.
But (and I'm going to get a little religious on you right here so stop reading right now if that kind of thing offends you) God is good and He is in control so I need to not panic and just do what I know I can do of what needs to be done and trust the He'll take care of the rest.
To alleviate one burden on my shoulders, I have shelved the novel in favor of working toward becoming an actively working copywriter. I'm putting myself through a refresher of the courses I've taken and actually doing more of the work this time than I did last time. They said it was really important and I have become a hardcore believer.
In an effort to become that actively working copywriter, I prepared to apply to one of those writing sites where a writer can get paid to complete writing assignments. It's not going to be the same kind of money I've been told can be made as a successful copywriter. Not even close. But it will give me experience as well as build up some confidence - which I'm seriously lacking at this point. I'll also end up with some good writing samples to pad my portfolio.
Part of the application process required a sample of my writing. I could choose up to 3 categories and write 500 words for each. Thankfully, one of those categories is beauty and since I do write a beauty blog, one would think that one would be a no-brainer. Wrong. My brain went completely blank. As it did with the other two categories I chose, about which I should be able to speak prolifically - games and food. Yeah. Not so much. Total blank there as well.
As you can probably guess, this did not help the panic setting in at facing a financial crisis.
However, I do have resources to help me get back on track. I'm sad that the novel has to take a backseat but it is nowhere near ready for publication and even if it was, there's no guarantee it will make anything much less the kind of money I need to meet my monthly obligations.
I spent so much time working on the novel and not practicing my copywriting, that I lost some of the ability. The skill of copywriting is like any other skill. It must be practiced. Sports players have to practice their skills in order to compete. Musicians have to practice in order to play their chosen instrument. Singers must practice their talent as well in order to keep their voice in top condition. Shouldn't writers also need the same practice to hone their skill to the highest quality? Darn right.
So, practice, relearn what was once known, do the work to attraction the attention of potential clients - this all needs to be done and done quickly. Like my savings, this year is almost gone. Do I really want the year to end without having done what I set out to do in January?
Of course, there is one option and it makes me shudder to even put it to voice. I could look for another cube job. I was pretty good at the last one but do I really want to go there - even for a short period of time? I feel anxiety come on even thinking of it.
But (and I'm going to get a little religious on you right here so stop reading right now if that kind of thing offends you) God is good and He is in control so I need to not panic and just do what I know I can do of what needs to be done and trust the He'll take care of the rest.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Your Passport Into The Recesses Of My Mind Is About To Be Stamped - Brace Yourself
Just getting over a weird Summer cold, which is one reason I haven't posted here in a while. As I said to a friend recently, I feel like I've been in a dark hole for the last 2 or 3 weeks and am finally becoming aware of the world around me again.
I did finish the manuscript and passed it on to my writer's group. They passed it back and I'm now about to begin what I hope is the final, major revision. To say there was plenty wrong with the last draft is putting it mildly. As a writer, you hardly ever see the flaws in your own work until they are pointed out by someone else.
Apparently, I use certain phrases a lot in my writing. It kind of makes sense because when you're just trying to get the story down, you don't want to spend time pondering how to say the same thing 30 million ways. You just want to get the words out of your brain and into the light. Well, that's my defense, anyway.
I've been collecting FaceBook posts from several writing-related pages on how to say the same thing in different ways. Perhaps it's time to collect those into something readable and start studying, eh?
I am also in the process of reading two works from one of my writer friends to give her a review on the published piece and feedback on the yet-to-be-published piece. In addition to that, it's time to get this copywriting thing rolling. Either that or go job hunting. I would prefer the former rather than the latter. To that end, I will be continuing my education in the B2B world with AWAI courses on writing white papers and case studies. I also plan to look into websites that offer paid writing opportunities.
But first, I need to get into the habit of writing daily.
I confess. Writing daily is not something I'm doing on any kind of consistent basis, but I know it's something that, as a writer, I really should be doing. Doesn't have to be fiction but it does have to be writing. Actually, practicing copywriting should probably be a priority right now. Funny thing is, even though I'm not going out to a job every day, I still have limited time in which to do everything I feel I need to do.
Yeah. I know. I've got very little to complain about in that respect. Unfortunately, I've got so much I want/need to do that I get overwhelmed and get none of it done.
Part of the problem, I feel, is the chaos in which I reside. Chaos meaning clutter. Clutter meaning all kinds of crap stuffed into the room in which I'm supposed to be creative. In case you don't know, clutter and creativity don't work well together.
I have begun to clear the clutter and have actually made a good dent, but there's still a lot to do. What I really need to do is to make a priority list and then just work through it. And stop panicking every time I look at my dwindling savings.
All this means that I need to set some goals for what I want to accomplish.
Keep in mind, I'm preaching to myself right here but if anyone else needs this, you're more than welcome to listen in.
Set those goals. Just do it. And then work toward those goals like it's your job. Because it is. Granted there's no pay at the moment but meet the goals, do the work and the pay should meet you somewhere along the way.
Goal #1: Lose the clutter. A chaotic mind simply cannot focus within a chaotic environment. Well, it can if well trained but yours isn't, so get rid of the crap, Lady.
Goal #2: Finish reading the novel and give it a review. This one should be easy and you might even accomplish this one while working on goal #1.
Goal #3: Complete manuscript feedback. This one will take longer and should be worked on after goal #1 for the same reasons goal #1 even exists. Just do it.
Oh, yeah. Probably should set time limits for these goals. Hmm. The first two should actually be doable in a day or two. The third one will take a little longer because I'm not just reading as a reader, I'm reading as an amateur editor. So a week, maybe?
Ok. That's 7-10 days booked. What else? Right. Income.
Goal #4: Dig into your AWAI courses with a focus on B2B as well as a refresher on the copywriting course. And do the exercises, for heaven's sake. Which reminds me...
Daily Goal #1: Write. Every. Day. No exceptions. Even if it's just for 15 minutes. Surely you can spare 15 minutes a day to write something.
Where was I?
Goal #5: Check out paying websites where you can further practice what you're learning. Not going to make a fortune at this but you will get experience and hopefully overcome this lack of confidence you have in your ability to do the job.
And while I'm thinking of it, I do need to update my LinkedIn profile with some writing samples. Perhaps what I practice writing every day?
Oh, and I need to get my website done. Probably should do two - one for the copywriter and one for the author. And separate FaceBook and Twitter accounts? Hmmm. I'll have to think about that one. Probably some kind of guidance in some of the resources on AWAI. So, I need to spend at least one day just browsing the site and taking notes. Check.
Um, is that chaos I see lurking over there in the corner?
I know. I'll put this all on my calendar and set reminders to remind me of what I'm supposed to be doing for that day. And I probably should be getting up a lot earlier than I am now. Which also means I need to go to bed a lot earlier than I am now.
And somewhere along the way I need to work on the revision of my own manuscript. Then there's NANOWRIMO coming up and I want to participate in that again this year.
Blog posts. Need to keep up with this blog as well as the beauty blog.
Windows 10. Two computers in this house are ready but neither one is mine but I need to work with it myself before I can show the parental units how it works. They also have issues that I need to help them resolve.
I have my own computer issues to resolve as well as organizational issues that need solving and...
Oh, look. Chaos has just taken over. Isn't that nice?
But seriously. I guess I just need to set the goals, set the time limits and just do the work. I mean, this is really no different than when I had so many priorities at my former job. I prioritized my priorities and went from there.
One more goal, or perhaps I should call it a deadline, is when I'll need to go job hunting if the income doesn't become a reality before the end of the year. Probably by the end of October, which isn't that far away. I have enough savings to get through November and that's about it.
It just hit me. Next month will be an entire year since I left my former job. I guess I could say that I took the year off to see where my writing could take me. Of course, temp employers probably don't care why there's so much time between jobs but it will help to have that explanation handy in case the question comes up.
I know I've rambled on a bit here. Ok. A lot, but this has helped me to think through what needs to be done now in order for me to continue my quest to be a paid writer. Even if I have to take a temporary job to bridge the gap between this year and next year.
I do think this time off has been beneficial for me. I was in a bad head place when I left my former job. Pretty sure it would only have gotten worse if I had stayed. That place was slowly killing me. I'm sure of it. I am a much nicer person to be around now - at least, that's what my Mom tells me. I'm more relaxed now. Maybe too relaxed.
I still have dreams. Big dreams, in fact. I just need to push past the chaos and self-doubt and take the steps necessary to see those dreams come true.
I can do this. One step at a time.
I did finish the manuscript and passed it on to my writer's group. They passed it back and I'm now about to begin what I hope is the final, major revision. To say there was plenty wrong with the last draft is putting it mildly. As a writer, you hardly ever see the flaws in your own work until they are pointed out by someone else.
Apparently, I use certain phrases a lot in my writing. It kind of makes sense because when you're just trying to get the story down, you don't want to spend time pondering how to say the same thing 30 million ways. You just want to get the words out of your brain and into the light. Well, that's my defense, anyway.
I've been collecting FaceBook posts from several writing-related pages on how to say the same thing in different ways. Perhaps it's time to collect those into something readable and start studying, eh?
I am also in the process of reading two works from one of my writer friends to give her a review on the published piece and feedback on the yet-to-be-published piece. In addition to that, it's time to get this copywriting thing rolling. Either that or go job hunting. I would prefer the former rather than the latter. To that end, I will be continuing my education in the B2B world with AWAI courses on writing white papers and case studies. I also plan to look into websites that offer paid writing opportunities.
But first, I need to get into the habit of writing daily.
I confess. Writing daily is not something I'm doing on any kind of consistent basis, but I know it's something that, as a writer, I really should be doing. Doesn't have to be fiction but it does have to be writing. Actually, practicing copywriting should probably be a priority right now. Funny thing is, even though I'm not going out to a job every day, I still have limited time in which to do everything I feel I need to do.
Yeah. I know. I've got very little to complain about in that respect. Unfortunately, I've got so much I want/need to do that I get overwhelmed and get none of it done.
Part of the problem, I feel, is the chaos in which I reside. Chaos meaning clutter. Clutter meaning all kinds of crap stuffed into the room in which I'm supposed to be creative. In case you don't know, clutter and creativity don't work well together.
I have begun to clear the clutter and have actually made a good dent, but there's still a lot to do. What I really need to do is to make a priority list and then just work through it. And stop panicking every time I look at my dwindling savings.
All this means that I need to set some goals for what I want to accomplish.
Keep in mind, I'm preaching to myself right here but if anyone else needs this, you're more than welcome to listen in.
Set those goals. Just do it. And then work toward those goals like it's your job. Because it is. Granted there's no pay at the moment but meet the goals, do the work and the pay should meet you somewhere along the way.
Goal #1: Lose the clutter. A chaotic mind simply cannot focus within a chaotic environment. Well, it can if well trained but yours isn't, so get rid of the crap, Lady.
Goal #2: Finish reading the novel and give it a review. This one should be easy and you might even accomplish this one while working on goal #1.
Goal #3: Complete manuscript feedback. This one will take longer and should be worked on after goal #1 for the same reasons goal #1 even exists. Just do it.
Oh, yeah. Probably should set time limits for these goals. Hmm. The first two should actually be doable in a day or two. The third one will take a little longer because I'm not just reading as a reader, I'm reading as an amateur editor. So a week, maybe?
Ok. That's 7-10 days booked. What else? Right. Income.
Goal #4: Dig into your AWAI courses with a focus on B2B as well as a refresher on the copywriting course. And do the exercises, for heaven's sake. Which reminds me...
Daily Goal #1: Write. Every. Day. No exceptions. Even if it's just for 15 minutes. Surely you can spare 15 minutes a day to write something.
Where was I?
Goal #5: Check out paying websites where you can further practice what you're learning. Not going to make a fortune at this but you will get experience and hopefully overcome this lack of confidence you have in your ability to do the job.
And while I'm thinking of it, I do need to update my LinkedIn profile with some writing samples. Perhaps what I practice writing every day?
Oh, and I need to get my website done. Probably should do two - one for the copywriter and one for the author. And separate FaceBook and Twitter accounts? Hmmm. I'll have to think about that one. Probably some kind of guidance in some of the resources on AWAI. So, I need to spend at least one day just browsing the site and taking notes. Check.
Um, is that chaos I see lurking over there in the corner?
I know. I'll put this all on my calendar and set reminders to remind me of what I'm supposed to be doing for that day. And I probably should be getting up a lot earlier than I am now. Which also means I need to go to bed a lot earlier than I am now.
And somewhere along the way I need to work on the revision of my own manuscript. Then there's NANOWRIMO coming up and I want to participate in that again this year.
Blog posts. Need to keep up with this blog as well as the beauty blog.
Windows 10. Two computers in this house are ready but neither one is mine but I need to work with it myself before I can show the parental units how it works. They also have issues that I need to help them resolve.
I have my own computer issues to resolve as well as organizational issues that need solving and...
Oh, look. Chaos has just taken over. Isn't that nice?
But seriously. I guess I just need to set the goals, set the time limits and just do the work. I mean, this is really no different than when I had so many priorities at my former job. I prioritized my priorities and went from there.
One more goal, or perhaps I should call it a deadline, is when I'll need to go job hunting if the income doesn't become a reality before the end of the year. Probably by the end of October, which isn't that far away. I have enough savings to get through November and that's about it.
It just hit me. Next month will be an entire year since I left my former job. I guess I could say that I took the year off to see where my writing could take me. Of course, temp employers probably don't care why there's so much time between jobs but it will help to have that explanation handy in case the question comes up.
I know I've rambled on a bit here. Ok. A lot, but this has helped me to think through what needs to be done now in order for me to continue my quest to be a paid writer. Even if I have to take a temporary job to bridge the gap between this year and next year.
I do think this time off has been beneficial for me. I was in a bad head place when I left my former job. Pretty sure it would only have gotten worse if I had stayed. That place was slowly killing me. I'm sure of it. I am a much nicer person to be around now - at least, that's what my Mom tells me. I'm more relaxed now. Maybe too relaxed.
I still have dreams. Big dreams, in fact. I just need to push past the chaos and self-doubt and take the steps necessary to see those dreams come true.
I can do this. One step at a time.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Crunch Time!
Edits on the book are about two-thirds of the way completed. I have made a firm commitment to get it into the hands of my writer's group by next Friday. So, yeah. It's crunch time.
I really want to get this over and done with so that I can move on to getting the copywriting part of my life up and running and making me money before I start the next novel. It's either that or cube city. I think we already know how I feel about cube city.
I had the opportunity to spend some time over the weekend with a couple of my fellow beauty bloggers. I was the newbie of the group so I spent my time listening to them talk about blogging and their experiences. I found it quite fascinating to hear what they had to say and to hear about the struggles that they still have despite being established, successful bloggers.
I am no way near their level yet, but I do hope to be. If not with beauty blogging then with writing but hopefully with both. Between blogging and copywriting and novel writing, there's plenty of income potential all around. I just need to be more consistent with writing every single day - something I don't actually do right now, I'll admit.
I had the opportunity to spend some time over the weekend with a couple of my fellow beauty bloggers. I was the newbie of the group so I spent my time listening to them talk about blogging and their experiences. I found it quite fascinating to hear what they had to say and to hear about the struggles that they still have despite being established, successful bloggers.
I am no way near their level yet, but I do hope to be. If not with beauty blogging then with writing but hopefully with both. Between blogging and copywriting and novel writing, there's plenty of income potential all around. I just need to be more consistent with writing every single day - something I don't actually do right now, I'll admit.
One thing I think will definitely help - getting the writing space a little more organized than it is at the moment.
My writing space is also where I write this blog as well as my beauty blog. It also serves as storage space for the beauty related things like nail polish - don't ask how many bottles because I still don't know. Lots - that's about all I can manage without taking the time to count.
This room is also supposed to be my 'living room'. I moved back home with my parents a few years ago - not only to help me out but to help them out as well. They are in their mid-seventies and while they don't need assisted living or anything like that, sometimes they do need a caretaker. It's much less stressful for me to be here, knowing that should anything happen, it won't take me 45 minutes to get to them. All I have to do now is walk down the stairs.
I have the entire second floor pretty much to myself and I'm using one of the bedrooms as my office/living space. Right now, however, it looks more like cardboard box hoarder's central. So, when I call it disorganized, I am not even joking a little bit. I'm starting to believe that a disorganized writing space leads to disorganized writing.
This room is also supposed to be my 'living room'. I moved back home with my parents a few years ago - not only to help me out but to help them out as well. They are in their mid-seventies and while they don't need assisted living or anything like that, sometimes they do need a caretaker. It's much less stressful for me to be here, knowing that should anything happen, it won't take me 45 minutes to get to them. All I have to do now is walk down the stairs.
I have the entire second floor pretty much to myself and I'm using one of the bedrooms as my office/living space. Right now, however, it looks more like cardboard box hoarder's central. So, when I call it disorganized, I am not even joking a little bit. I'm starting to believe that a disorganized writing space leads to disorganized writing.
I'll be honest. It's hard to concentrate in this room right now. Can't have my little writer's group come here right now, either. However, the chaos does not have to continue. It won't continue. I've made a second firm commitment - with myself.
This weekend, my writing/beauty/living space will be cleaned up and organized. My promise to me.
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