What's it like to work from home? Or as my neighbors wonder "What exactly do you DO?!" And lately there have been several bright young moms, who are slaving away for minimum wage who have asked me how they can get started doing whatever it is that I do. They're not really sure what it is, but they see me at school a lot and they have a vague idea that I do something on the computer. A few know I wrote a book or two.
Let's take March 29, for example:
4:30 AM - Small turned on the big overhead light over my bed and announced loudly, "I WET THE BED." Oh ugh! Since I'd tried unsuccessfully at about midnight to unblock the toilet small then had to be directed all the way to the other end of the house.
6:00 AM - Alarm goes off. We dressed and I spent a few minutes tinkering with a webpage I'd been working on last night.
7:30 AM - Drove the kids to school.
8:00 AM - Meeting to discuss Community Theatre programs for this year's play.
8:20 AM - Went to gym.
8:50 AM - Went to grocery store and bank.
9:10 AM - Got home, fed animals, washed dishes, poured liquid drain opener down the toilet, hung out wet bedding, ate breakfast, plunged toilet, called plumber.
9:30 AM - Finally made it to my computer.
Finished 2 projects I started yesterday - 1 was a list of revisions for a new client for whom I'm designing a logo and website. The other was adding some content to another website. In the middle of all that the plumber came and unstopped the loo. Must work harder! That 15 minute service call cost $75!!!
12:00 NOON - Damn! It's 12:00!!! No time for lunch - the phone is ringing. It's a client in Washington state (not yet lunchtime out there.)
12:30 PM - Answered an e from a client who forgot he has his own admin area to make updates himself.
12:45 PM - Call from a graphic artist in Dallas I collaborate with to discuss a pending job we're working on together.
1:10 PM - I'm going outside armed with a phone in each pocket. Pottering in the garden.
1:30 PM - Housework - laundry - dishes.
1:50 PM - Lunch
2:10 PM - Back at my desk.
2:50 PM - Pick up kids from school. Go to bank.
3:40 PM - Back at my desk, where I worked without a break till 7:30 PM.
10:00 PM - Trying to go to bed, but am delayed by cat who won't come in.
And that's a typical day in my life now. Keep an eye on this space... I'll try to get a series of essays going for moms who wan to work from home.
Let's take March 29, for example:
4:30 AM - Small turned on the big overhead light over my bed and announced loudly, "I WET THE BED." Oh ugh! Since I'd tried unsuccessfully at about midnight to unblock the toilet small then had to be directed all the way to the other end of the house.
6:00 AM - Alarm goes off. We dressed and I spent a few minutes tinkering with a webpage I'd been working on last night.
7:30 AM - Drove the kids to school.
8:00 AM - Meeting to discuss Community Theatre programs for this year's play.
8:20 AM - Went to gym.
8:50 AM - Went to grocery store and bank.
9:10 AM - Got home, fed animals, washed dishes, poured liquid drain opener down the toilet, hung out wet bedding, ate breakfast, plunged toilet, called plumber.
9:30 AM - Finally made it to my computer.
Finished 2 projects I started yesterday - 1 was a list of revisions for a new client for whom I'm designing a logo and website. The other was adding some content to another website. In the middle of all that the plumber came and unstopped the loo. Must work harder! That 15 minute service call cost $75!!!
12:00 NOON - Damn! It's 12:00!!! No time for lunch - the phone is ringing. It's a client in Washington state (not yet lunchtime out there.)
12:30 PM - Answered an e from a client who forgot he has his own admin area to make updates himself.
12:45 PM - Call from a graphic artist in Dallas I collaborate with to discuss a pending job we're working on together.
1:10 PM - I'm going outside armed with a phone in each pocket. Pottering in the garden.
1:30 PM - Housework - laundry - dishes.
1:50 PM - Lunch
2:10 PM - Back at my desk.
2:50 PM - Pick up kids from school. Go to bank.
3:40 PM - Back at my desk, where I worked without a break till 7:30 PM.
10:00 PM - Trying to go to bed, but am delayed by cat who won't come in.
And that's a typical day in my life now. Keep an eye on this space... I'll try to get a series of essays going for moms who wan to work from home.