My work-at-home-parent / freelance writer resource page on my writing website has just been updated!
It's a good list of sites that provide tips for moms and dads who want to work from home and people who want to earn money for their writing.
I hope you find it useful. Let me know!
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Time for newsletter number two!
The time for the release of the second newsletter I've written and edited for an Eastern Arkansas nonprofit organization is upon us, and I've had to do more of the work over the phone this time than I did the summer issue. School's in now, and we are now an hour and a half (as opposed to about 30 minutes) from the office where the printing takes place.
That makes it a little harder to be at their office in person much, but now that the layout is established my presence is not required as much. I did go one day last week, though, for a meeting -- and a photography session for one of my newspapers there in that same town -- and everything worked out just perfectly time-wise. I got off the interstate and went straight to the school to pick the girls up, and was right on time.
It's exciting to see some of all the exciting things that this organization has in place to help people and communities, and besides the opportunity to write and edit the newsletter being a big help to my family, it's an honor to be associated with such a community-minded organization. I only wish I had started with the newsletter before we moved.
That makes it a little harder to be at their office in person much, but now that the layout is established my presence is not required as much. I did go one day last week, though, for a meeting -- and a photography session for one of my newspapers there in that same town -- and everything worked out just perfectly time-wise. I got off the interstate and went straight to the school to pick the girls up, and was right on time.
It's exciting to see some of all the exciting things that this organization has in place to help people and communities, and besides the opportunity to write and edit the newsletter being a big help to my family, it's an honor to be associated with such a community-minded organization. I only wish I had started with the newsletter before we moved.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
New resource for work at home dads
Work-at-home dads are doing a terrific job of taking care of the kids while getting the bills paid, too. Here's an article about a new resource for work-at-home dads:
EntrepreneurDad.com Offers a New Resource for Work at Home Dads
Morris County, NJ - June 12, 2006 - An increasing number of fathers are opting to work from home in order to provide parental care for their children. Although a variety of useful resources exist for work at home parents, few focus on the unique needs of work at home dads.
In honor of Fathers' Day, EntrepreneurDad.com (http://www.entrepreneurdad.com) will officially launch on Sunday, June 18, 2006. This new web site is dedicated to the needs of work at home dads and includes articles and tools to help them manage their dual role as parent and business person. There's also a community of fellow dads in the discussion forums providing advice and sharing their experiences.
EntrepreneurDad.com was created by Justin Powell, who works from home as a web designer and cares for twin boys.
"When I first started out as a work at home dad, I found useful information was minimal and scattered," says Justin. "I was looking for a single location online that addressed the needs of work at home dads but found that such a place didn't existed. I felt a there was clearly a need for this type of resource, so I decided to create an online destination just for dads who work from home and care for their children."
To celebrate Father's Day, EntrepreneurDad is offering work at home dads a way to get free advertising for their business. For a limited time, dads can receive 100 free impressions in the site's banner ad rotation for each message they post in the discussion forums - up to a total of 5000 impressions. Dads must register and post at least one message by June 30, 2006.
For more information about this promotion, dads should visit: http://www.entrepreneurdad.com/modul...viewtopic&t=15
For additional information, contact Justin Powell or visit http://www.entrepreneurdad.com.
About Justin Powell: Justin Powell helps empower small- and medium-sized entrepreneurial firms by integrating the Internet as a business and marketing channel. He has 15 years of experience, including 11 years of corporate experience in sales and marketing of technology products. Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Justin was Assistant Vice President at Pershing LLC and functioned as a product manager of Pershing's NetExchange Client online brokerage platform.
About EntrepreneurDad.com: The mission of EntrepreneurDad.com is to provide a singular resource for fathers who work from home while caring for their children. The site provides articles, tips, links and a discussion forum specific to work at home dads.
EntrepreneurDad.com Offers a New Resource for Work at Home Dads
Morris County, NJ - June 12, 2006 - An increasing number of fathers are opting to work from home in order to provide parental care for their children. Although a variety of useful resources exist for work at home parents, few focus on the unique needs of work at home dads.
In honor of Fathers' Day, EntrepreneurDad.com (http://www.entrepreneurdad.com) will officially launch on Sunday, June 18, 2006. This new web site is dedicated to the needs of work at home dads and includes articles and tools to help them manage their dual role as parent and business person. There's also a community of fellow dads in the discussion forums providing advice and sharing their experiences.
EntrepreneurDad.com was created by Justin Powell, who works from home as a web designer and cares for twin boys.
"When I first started out as a work at home dad, I found useful information was minimal and scattered," says Justin. "I was looking for a single location online that addressed the needs of work at home dads but found that such a place didn't existed. I felt a there was clearly a need for this type of resource, so I decided to create an online destination just for dads who work from home and care for their children."
To celebrate Father's Day, EntrepreneurDad is offering work at home dads a way to get free advertising for their business. For a limited time, dads can receive 100 free impressions in the site's banner ad rotation for each message they post in the discussion forums - up to a total of 5000 impressions. Dads must register and post at least one message by June 30, 2006.
For more information about this promotion, dads should visit: http://www.entrepreneurdad.com/modul...viewtopic&t=15
For additional information, contact Justin Powell or visit http://www.entrepreneurdad.com.
About Justin Powell: Justin Powell helps empower small- and medium-sized entrepreneurial firms by integrating the Internet as a business and marketing channel. He has 15 years of experience, including 11 years of corporate experience in sales and marketing of technology products. Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Justin was Assistant Vice President at Pershing LLC and functioned as a product manager of Pershing's NetExchange Client online brokerage platform.
About EntrepreneurDad.com: The mission of EntrepreneurDad.com is to provide a singular resource for fathers who work from home while caring for their children. The site provides articles, tips, links and a discussion forum specific to work at home dads.
Monday, June 19, 2006
It's down to the wire on the newsletter!
The quarterly newsletter that I'm doing for the nonprofit prints next week and I'm getting it all wrapped up!
I didn't have any of the templates or programs that had been previously used so I started from scratch with my Pagemaker program and created a whole new (and improved) look and layout style.
The rest of the week I'll be busy finishing up with the interviewing, researching, and/or writing for all the stories. I'll also meet with the man I'm working with on this, the vice-president of the organization, to show him the new layout. I think he's going to really like it. The president of the organization will also have to look it over first.
I really should have it ready to print right now but with the big move a few weeks ago, I think it's going as good as can be expected. It's going to be printed in their office. When I get finished with everything here I'll just load all the files and photos on CD and take them along with my Pagemaker program over to their office and get it all going on one of their computers. I think that should work. I hope it will!
This project has been very exciting for me since I've been writing about this organization nearly as long as I've been in the newspaper business. It's very much an honor to produce this newsletter for this organization and I certainly hope our partnership continues.
I didn't have any of the templates or programs that had been previously used so I started from scratch with my Pagemaker program and created a whole new (and improved) look and layout style.
The rest of the week I'll be busy finishing up with the interviewing, researching, and/or writing for all the stories. I'll also meet with the man I'm working with on this, the vice-president of the organization, to show him the new layout. I think he's going to really like it. The president of the organization will also have to look it over first.
I really should have it ready to print right now but with the big move a few weeks ago, I think it's going as good as can be expected. It's going to be printed in their office. When I get finished with everything here I'll just load all the files and photos on CD and take them along with my Pagemaker program over to their office and get it all going on one of their computers. I think that should work. I hope it will!
This project has been very exciting for me since I've been writing about this organization nearly as long as I've been in the newspaper business. It's very much an honor to produce this newsletter for this organization and I certainly hope our partnership continues.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Making work fun
In an effort to try to get back into a somewhat normal routine after moving the end of last month, I've pretty much scheduled up the normal amount of writing work for myself these past three weeks since the move.
Of course, I failed to take into consideration that our first days and weeks at our new home would also be the first days and weeks of summer vacation for my children, but we've made the double transition quite well.
We've done all of my newspaper story interviews together as usual, with them coming home with all sorts of treats like buttons from an antique store and sets of rewriteable magnets from an office supply store. After one of those interviews we stopped and ate lunch and then went to the movie store. It was special to us because neither of those particular places are available where we used to live.
We've also stopped by their grandparents' house on our way back home from another interview. Everyone was surprised to see us so that was fun, too! We'll be able to make more of those impromptu stops this summer, I'm sure.
There'll be other fun things we can incorporate along with my work this summer as well. We have a whole big city to explore and I'm sure we can do a lot of it after work!
Of course, I failed to take into consideration that our first days and weeks at our new home would also be the first days and weeks of summer vacation for my children, but we've made the double transition quite well.
We've done all of my newspaper story interviews together as usual, with them coming home with all sorts of treats like buttons from an antique store and sets of rewriteable magnets from an office supply store. After one of those interviews we stopped and ate lunch and then went to the movie store. It was special to us because neither of those particular places are available where we used to live.
We've also stopped by their grandparents' house on our way back home from another interview. Everyone was surprised to see us so that was fun, too! We'll be able to make more of those impromptu stops this summer, I'm sure.
There'll be other fun things we can incorporate along with my work this summer as well. We have a whole big city to explore and I'm sure we can do a lot of it after work!
Sunday, June 04, 2006
That was not a good idea
Whew, I lived through a week without my computer and the Internet but I do not recommend it for any work at home mom! That was just terrible.
I did get to the Internet to send some work in and to check my email toward the end of the week. I went to a place in a town nearby our other house that has public access computers and was able to get a story in, but the floppy disk I used to store a photo wasn't formatted, so the computer said. Later that afternoon I went to a friend's house to send the photo, and of course I checked my email again.
The Internet, along with the phone and cable, was installed on Friday at the new house and I made haste trying it out. It worked, and all was again well with the world!
The next time I move, which I doubt won't be anytime soon, my computer and my Internet aren't going anywhere until I do! That was one lesson well learned.
I did get to the Internet to send some work in and to check my email toward the end of the week. I went to a place in a town nearby our other house that has public access computers and was able to get a story in, but the floppy disk I used to store a photo wasn't formatted, so the computer said. Later that afternoon I went to a friend's house to send the photo, and of course I checked my email again.
The Internet, along with the phone and cable, was installed on Friday at the new house and I made haste trying it out. It worked, and all was again well with the world!
The next time I move, which I doubt won't be anytime soon, my computer and my Internet aren't going anywhere until I do! That was one lesson well learned.
Friday, May 19, 2006
How will I make it a whole week without the Internet?
It's bad enough to be without the Internet for an hour or even a whole morning, but how will I live without the Internet for a week?
The week in question will be next week, during which my family will be in transition from one house to the next. I'm dreading it.
I set the date for next Wednesday for the cable company to come hook up the Internet service. They want the computer physically there so they can leave the equipment — it's their policy. With us living an hour away from our new home, my husband and I both having to work, and the girls being in school through next week means we can't just take the computer over there right before hookup. It has to be moved this weekend, but I can't move with it because of the school thing.
Since I — or someone, preferably me with the more flexible schedule than my husband, who will be 10 minutes away from the new house but not able to break away — must be there at hookup to pay the activation fee, I figured I'd make it okay with being able to get on the Internet on Wednesday after the computer was moved the weekend before. I can pay the nice man, hook up the Internet service, and get on for a few minutes before I have to make the hour's drive to get the girls from school, that is, if I don't let them miss so they can come with me.
That plan rather fell apart yesterday when I got a note from school saying my daughter's behavior awards ceremony is next Wednesday! Now this award is very important; she's already collected three ribbons for good behavior and at this final assembly she gets another ribbon plus a gold medal for being good all year. This event is not to be missed.
I called the cable company back to see if I could get my Internet hookup moved up to Monday. No can do. The next available appointment is way on next Friday. Gasp, I can't hardly breathe! It's more than I can take.
Well, I guess I'll just have to live with that. If I feel myself losing control there should be a computer with Internet somewhere I can use. In the meantime, I guess I can use all the extra time to actually pack all our stuff up!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
The week in question will be next week, during which my family will be in transition from one house to the next. I'm dreading it.
I set the date for next Wednesday for the cable company to come hook up the Internet service. They want the computer physically there so they can leave the equipment — it's their policy. With us living an hour away from our new home, my husband and I both having to work, and the girls being in school through next week means we can't just take the computer over there right before hookup. It has to be moved this weekend, but I can't move with it because of the school thing.
Since I — or someone, preferably me with the more flexible schedule than my husband, who will be 10 minutes away from the new house but not able to break away — must be there at hookup to pay the activation fee, I figured I'd make it okay with being able to get on the Internet on Wednesday after the computer was moved the weekend before. I can pay the nice man, hook up the Internet service, and get on for a few minutes before I have to make the hour's drive to get the girls from school, that is, if I don't let them miss so they can come with me.
That plan rather fell apart yesterday when I got a note from school saying my daughter's behavior awards ceremony is next Wednesday! Now this award is very important; she's already collected three ribbons for good behavior and at this final assembly she gets another ribbon plus a gold medal for being good all year. This event is not to be missed.
I called the cable company back to see if I could get my Internet hookup moved up to Monday. No can do. The next available appointment is way on next Friday. Gasp, I can't hardly breathe! It's more than I can take.
Well, I guess I'll just have to live with that. If I feel myself losing control there should be a computer with Internet somewhere I can use. In the meantime, I guess I can use all the extra time to actually pack all our stuff up!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Making the switch to cable Internet
I'm switching from DSL Internet to cable Internet and I am told that I'll be completely delighted! I called the phone company, AT&T/SBC a couple of weeks ago to get our phone and Internet service transferred from our current home to our new residence. The phone switch arrangements went smoothly but I hit a brick wall when inquiring about DSL service. It seems that there is no DSL service available from AT&T/SBC at my new address.
WHAT??? Do you mean to tell me I've had DSL in a town of fewer than 4,000 people for two years — or is it three? — and it's not available somewhere within a city of 60,000 people? Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.
Talk about angry. I stomped around mumbling in frustration for a while and then decided to call the cable company. My husband had mentioned wanting to get cable TV and Internet service through the cable company although I wasn't paying attention since we don't have cable or satellite now and I intended to keep it that way. I could at least check to see how much the Internet service is through the cable company.
I called the local Comcast office and was greeted quickly and quite pleasantly by a real person with a smile on her face — I could just see it. She offered me a deal too good to pass up: basic cable — 78 channels, mind you — local and long distance phone service, and some kind of extremely speedy Internet service all for the low price of $99 a month; $113 with tax included. (With all taxes it'll probably end up being around $150 a month but that's still a good deal.) I snapped it up and told her why: it's inexcusable for the phone company to not have DSL at my new address in a city of 60,000 people.
I'm excited about trying out the new service and I think I'll really like it. What's not to like about having Internet, fast Internet at that?
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
WHAT??? Do you mean to tell me I've had DSL in a town of fewer than 4,000 people for two years — or is it three? — and it's not available somewhere within a city of 60,000 people? Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.
Talk about angry. I stomped around mumbling in frustration for a while and then decided to call the cable company. My husband had mentioned wanting to get cable TV and Internet service through the cable company although I wasn't paying attention since we don't have cable or satellite now and I intended to keep it that way. I could at least check to see how much the Internet service is through the cable company.
I called the local Comcast office and was greeted quickly and quite pleasantly by a real person with a smile on her face — I could just see it. She offered me a deal too good to pass up: basic cable — 78 channels, mind you — local and long distance phone service, and some kind of extremely speedy Internet service all for the low price of $99 a month; $113 with tax included. (With all taxes it'll probably end up being around $150 a month but that's still a good deal.) I snapped it up and told her why: it's inexcusable for the phone company to not have DSL at my new address in a city of 60,000 people.
I'm excited about trying out the new service and I think I'll really like it. What's not to like about having Internet, fast Internet at that?
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Monday, May 15, 2006
Getting the day started with a good cup of gas station coffee
There's not much better than a good cup of gas station coffee, and I decided to get my day started with one today.
After I got all the girls dropped off at school, I was possessed with a craving for a cup of gas station coffee. I fished around in my pockets and car cup holder for change, and to my delight I found enough! I mixed a 20-ounce cup of one-third French vanilla cappuccino, one-third extreme caffeine latte, and one-third regular coffee. Yummy!
I'm going to need this delicious pick-me-up today with all that I have to do. Three stories are due today and one of them hasn't even been interviewed yet. I've got about three loads and counting of clean laundry to fold, and of course there is the ever-present packing to move to do. At least I'll have the energy to knock a pretty good-sized dent in my to-do list!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
After I got all the girls dropped off at school, I was possessed with a craving for a cup of gas station coffee. I fished around in my pockets and car cup holder for change, and to my delight I found enough! I mixed a 20-ounce cup of one-third French vanilla cappuccino, one-third extreme caffeine latte, and one-third regular coffee. Yummy!
I'm going to need this delicious pick-me-up today with all that I have to do. Three stories are due today and one of them hasn't even been interviewed yet. I've got about three loads and counting of clean laundry to fold, and of course there is the ever-present packing to move to do. At least I'll have the energy to knock a pretty good-sized dent in my to-do list!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Packing up my desk
In preparation for the big move in a couple of weeks, along with the need to find the scanner program CD — apparently I deleted a scanning program when I was cleaning off the computer files about a week ago — I cleaned my desk entirely off and packed everything away. Everyone else in the house loudly expressed their skepticism that I could fit everything in one box — "Do you think I can fit everything in this box?" I asked, to which three people loudly and quickly chimed in, "NO!" — but I did it.
I filled two large bags with trash from my desk — why do I have five catalogs from the same company? — and filed numerous other papers and notebooks away in other boxes containing work papers and notebooks, kids' schoolwork, drawings, and other keepsakes, and kids' books and activities. There was a tax return bundle and a needs-to-be-shredded pile to go along with that.
Alas, I didn't find the scanner program CD but I did pack away numerous other CDs, floppy disks, notepads, phone books, envelopes, a box of receipts and paid bills, and all manner of office supplies. My current files and notebooks were already in my new little file box so that really helped.
I did leave out a few important things I need now like pens and pencils, a sticky note pad, scissors, stapler and staple remover, and of course my planner, without which I cannot breathe much less get a single thing done. If I need anything else I can just flip the lid of the big desk box and get what I need.
Now all that's left to do is to unhook the phone, answering machine, pencil sharpener, scanner/printer/copier, fax machine, computer, and monitor. Actually I think my work is done here and I'll turn over all this equipment to my husband.
When I unload and hook it all up at our new home it will be at a smaller desk since the one I'm using now is too large for the spot that will be my office. Getting all my stuff on it should be very interesting.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
I filled two large bags with trash from my desk — why do I have five catalogs from the same company? — and filed numerous other papers and notebooks away in other boxes containing work papers and notebooks, kids' schoolwork, drawings, and other keepsakes, and kids' books and activities. There was a tax return bundle and a needs-to-be-shredded pile to go along with that.
Alas, I didn't find the scanner program CD but I did pack away numerous other CDs, floppy disks, notepads, phone books, envelopes, a box of receipts and paid bills, and all manner of office supplies. My current files and notebooks were already in my new little file box so that really helped.
I did leave out a few important things I need now like pens and pencils, a sticky note pad, scissors, stapler and staple remover, and of course my planner, without which I cannot breathe much less get a single thing done. If I need anything else I can just flip the lid of the big desk box and get what I need.
Now all that's left to do is to unhook the phone, answering machine, pencil sharpener, scanner/printer/copier, fax machine, computer, and monitor. Actually I think my work is done here and I'll turn over all this equipment to my husband.
When I unload and hook it all up at our new home it will be at a smaller desk since the one I'm using now is too large for the spot that will be my office. Getting all my stuff on it should be very interesting.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Payday wasn't payday after all
Thursday is what I like to call payday, since I receive a check in the mail from one of my papers for the work published the previous week on that day, and I can go pick up another check from a different newspaper for the work printed the day before if I like.
Neither one of those worked out today, though. The check that comes in the mail didn't come, and the young lady who makes out the checks at the other newspaper wasn't working today. The mailed one will probably arrive tomorrow, and I will wait until another story is printed at the other paper before picking up a check from there. I normally wait until two or three have been printed anyway, but I was over there today and thought I'd grab one while I was there.
I'll add that one to a pretty nice one I'm expecting this coming week for some independent contract work I did last month, and we'll knock those utilities right out.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Neither one of those worked out today, though. The check that comes in the mail didn't come, and the young lady who makes out the checks at the other newspaper wasn't working today. The mailed one will probably arrive tomorrow, and I will wait until another story is printed at the other paper before picking up a check from there. I normally wait until two or three have been printed anyway, but I was over there today and thought I'd grab one while I was there.
I'll add that one to a pretty nice one I'm expecting this coming week for some independent contract work I did last month, and we'll knock those utilities right out.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Thankful for my blessings
This past week I received three paychecks in the mail that were barely $75 altogether. I found it a little comical that putting all of them together didn't even equal $100 for several reasons. One was $45 for a story, another was $12 for mileage reimbursement, and another was $20 for an independent contractor assignment.
The good thing about this bunch of checks is that the $45 one was supposed to be $90 because the paper actually printed two stories, and the $20 one is supposed to be $30, but somehow they got the fee wrong. So everybody owes me more money.
The other good thing about it is I have another check for two stories sitting at one of my other papers, just waiting for me to pick it up. There'll probably be a checks for three stories over there before I get over there to pick them up.
The other OTHER good thing is that I bought groceries already this week and used someone else's money (well, it's mine too) to pay the utilities! The last good thing about this bunch of checks is that it is very rare that I get them that small anymore.
Isn't that great? I'm so thankful to be able to giggle about these three checks totalling $77. I remember a time in the not-too distant past where these three checks would be absolutely neccessary and every dime used to keep our lights on. I also remember a time in the very recent past when I busted my butt waiting tables for about $77 for one week. I did that for three weeks and my checks plus my tips plus some more paychecks I hoarded paid two mortgages all in one month.
It took me several months to have enough writing work and a few more months to be able to let the extra jobs I was doing on the side go. It was really tough for us then — we have always struggled financially, mostly because of the economics of the area we are in but also because we choose to live simply — but we felt very strongly about me working from home and taking care of the children. It just had to work since we didn't feel like there were too many other options. After that rough first year it seemed to work itself out and we are doing better.
This is not to say we're doing so well financially and I'm not bragging at all. I'm just thankful and blessed to be tickled at these little checks. It could all disappear tomorrow but I am most certainly thankful for my blessings today. I hope that everyone else who is determined to stay home with their children will just stick with it. It'll work out and you'll be glad you did.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
The good thing about this bunch of checks is that the $45 one was supposed to be $90 because the paper actually printed two stories, and the $20 one is supposed to be $30, but somehow they got the fee wrong. So everybody owes me more money.
The other good thing about it is I have another check for two stories sitting at one of my other papers, just waiting for me to pick it up. There'll probably be a checks for three stories over there before I get over there to pick them up.
The other OTHER good thing is that I bought groceries already this week and used someone else's money (well, it's mine too) to pay the utilities! The last good thing about this bunch of checks is that it is very rare that I get them that small anymore.
Isn't that great? I'm so thankful to be able to giggle about these three checks totalling $77. I remember a time in the not-too distant past where these three checks would be absolutely neccessary and every dime used to keep our lights on. I also remember a time in the very recent past when I busted my butt waiting tables for about $77 for one week. I did that for three weeks and my checks plus my tips plus some more paychecks I hoarded paid two mortgages all in one month.
It took me several months to have enough writing work and a few more months to be able to let the extra jobs I was doing on the side go. It was really tough for us then — we have always struggled financially, mostly because of the economics of the area we are in but also because we choose to live simply — but we felt very strongly about me working from home and taking care of the children. It just had to work since we didn't feel like there were too many other options. After that rough first year it seemed to work itself out and we are doing better.
This is not to say we're doing so well financially and I'm not bragging at all. I'm just thankful and blessed to be tickled at these little checks. It could all disappear tomorrow but I am most certainly thankful for my blessings today. I hope that everyone else who is determined to stay home with their children will just stick with it. It'll work out and you'll be glad you did.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Friday, April 21, 2006
Fueling a day's work
There's no better way to fuel a day's — or night's — work than with a great cup of coffee. I get my day started with one every day and have some at night too when I have an assignment I need to get submitted.
One of my fellow coffee lover-writers, Christina Spence up in Canada, has a new blog dedicated to coffee! It's Coffee Creations and has some good recipes for some coffee treats. Be sure to check it out and add it to your feed list.
That's not all there is to Christina. Coffee-powered as she is, she has another blog that I love, The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning blog with simple cleaning tricks and natural cleaning solutions designed to get us back to doing what we love most, writing and drinking coffee! It goes with The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning website. Yes, I'm a happy slob myself. Whatever Christina posts about in her blog every day is the thing that I clean that day. After I have my coffee, that is.
For recipes for just about anything else under the sun and all kinds of other ideas that are useful to work-at-home writer moms, take a look at her Kitchen Crafts 'n' More blog and her Kitchen Crafts 'n' More website. I'm not a big recipe gal but the blog and site are loaded with all kinds of useful information that even a slacker like me needs.
While you are there at the Kitchen Crafts website, be sure to check out the message board and see if there is anyone familiar there.
There's also her Freelancing for Beginners site with all kinds of good tips on getting started writing.
Wow, see how much you can get done when you load up on some good coffee?
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
One of my fellow coffee lover-writers, Christina Spence up in Canada, has a new blog dedicated to coffee! It's Coffee Creations and has some good recipes for some coffee treats. Be sure to check it out and add it to your feed list.
That's not all there is to Christina. Coffee-powered as she is, she has another blog that I love, The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning blog with simple cleaning tricks and natural cleaning solutions designed to get us back to doing what we love most, writing and drinking coffee! It goes with The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning website. Yes, I'm a happy slob myself. Whatever Christina posts about in her blog every day is the thing that I clean that day. After I have my coffee, that is.
For recipes for just about anything else under the sun and all kinds of other ideas that are useful to work-at-home writer moms, take a look at her Kitchen Crafts 'n' More blog and her Kitchen Crafts 'n' More website. I'm not a big recipe gal but the blog and site are loaded with all kinds of useful information that even a slacker like me needs.
While you are there at the Kitchen Crafts website, be sure to check out the message board and see if there is anyone familiar there.
There's also her Freelancing for Beginners site with all kinds of good tips on getting started writing.
Wow, see how much you can get done when you load up on some good coffee?
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My writing blog
My mom life blog
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
The spotlight is on working moms!
A fellow work-at-home mom and message board buddy at Mommy Jobs, Kira Sandoval, has started a new blog, The Spotlight on Working Mammas.
Today the spotlight shines on me. She said it better than I could, so hop on over and check out her new blog.
Be sure to add it to your feed list and of course you can always see who's in the working mom profile of the week through my link list.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Today the spotlight shines on me. She said it better than I could, so hop on over and check out her new blog.
Be sure to add it to your feed list and of course you can always see who's in the working mom profile of the week through my link list.
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Mommy Circle blog posting free work at home ecourse
This note from The Mommy Circle just came to me via email:
I just wanted to let you know, in case you haven't visited The Mommy Circle blog lately that there is a F R E E Work at Home eCourse being posted. This free eCourse will run for 7 days and cover topics including an introduction to eBusiness, working from home, eBay Profits, planning your first web site, promoting your business on a budget and more. I'm sure you'll enjoy keeping up with the course and all the very helpful information included. It is not only informative, it's encouraging. I enjoyed it very much myself. Today is Day 1 Introduction to eBusiness. Follow along with the Work from Home eCourse at http://www.themommycircle.com/blog.
The Mommy Circle is one of the fine work at home resources I have in my listing on my writing website. Be sure to check out the site and blog and even the ecourse!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
I just wanted to let you know, in case you haven't visited The Mommy Circle blog lately that there is a F R E E Work at Home eCourse being posted. This free eCourse will run for 7 days and cover topics including an introduction to eBusiness, working from home, eBay Profits, planning your first web site, promoting your business on a budget and more. I'm sure you'll enjoy keeping up with the course and all the very helpful information included. It is not only informative, it's encouraging. I enjoyed it very much myself. Today is Day 1 Introduction to eBusiness. Follow along with the Work from Home eCourse at http://www.themommycircle.com/blog.
The Mommy Circle is one of the fine work at home resources I have in my listing on my writing website. Be sure to check out the site and blog and even the ecourse!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Friday, April 14, 2006
An impromptu day off
There is so much work lined up for me to do on my schedule, plus quite a bit to do to get our house cleaned out and ready to sell, but this has turned out to be an impromptu day off.
It all started with the kids being off from school today. Since we didn't have to get up early to get ready for school, we pretty much didn't bother getting up at all. When I finally did get up it was 10 a.m. with half the morning and some good working hours gone. I spent the rest of the morning drinking coffee, making sure all the work-related messages in my email inbox were tended to, and even checking a message board or two. Around 1 p.m. I finally got dressed and had my breakfast shake.
The girls just went down for a nap (or at least a rest period) so this would be a good time to get started.
The problem is, there's so much to do I don't quite know where to start. I have several phone interviews that need to be done as well as some stories that need to be written. To prepare for selling our house and moving, we still have most of the house to go through and sort all our 10 years worth of accumulated junk. On top of that, there is the normal laundry, cleaning, and meal preparation to be done.
It's looking like the remainder of this day would better be spent like the first part of it!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
It all started with the kids being off from school today. Since we didn't have to get up early to get ready for school, we pretty much didn't bother getting up at all. When I finally did get up it was 10 a.m. with half the morning and some good working hours gone. I spent the rest of the morning drinking coffee, making sure all the work-related messages in my email inbox were tended to, and even checking a message board or two. Around 1 p.m. I finally got dressed and had my breakfast shake.
The girls just went down for a nap (or at least a rest period) so this would be a good time to get started.
The problem is, there's so much to do I don't quite know where to start. I have several phone interviews that need to be done as well as some stories that need to be written. To prepare for selling our house and moving, we still have most of the house to go through and sort all our 10 years worth of accumulated junk. On top of that, there is the normal laundry, cleaning, and meal preparation to be done.
It's looking like the remainder of this day would better be spent like the first part of it!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Working at home with the kids around
Another book has been added to my growing library of all things work-at-home and writing-related. I have been reading "Writing for Quick Cash" by Loriann Hoff Oberlin and discovered that she also wrote "Working at Home While the Kids Are There, Too." Both are now in my working library.
The book "Writing for Quick Cash" contains so many practical tips that I just had to have "Working at Home While the Kids Are There, Too." I went to www.half.com, my favorite place to buy and sell books and other media online and found a nearly new copy for 75 cents and bought it. It arrived today and I've only had a chance to flip through it, but I'm eager to read on helpful topics like:
- Avoiding work-at-home scams
- Setting working hours
- Tax implications
- Setting up an office
- Advertising basics
- Keeping up with the housework
- Choosing childcare
- Surviving the summer
There's lots of other great information and I can't wait to dig into it. I need all the help I can get with stuff like setting (and sticking to) regular working hours and keeping up with the mounds of dishes and laundry that need to be done!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Free ecourse on working from home
In one of my trips around the Internet today, I ran across a free ecourse on working from home. Take a look and see what you think:
http://wahm-masters.sitesell.com/
I have downloaded it but haven't had the chance to read over it yet. Let me know what you think about it!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
http://wahm-masters.sitesell.com/
I have downloaded it but haven't had the chance to read over it yet. Let me know what you think about it!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Friday, March 31, 2006
That's much better!
Wow, it really feels good to finally be organized. Earlier this week I got all my file folders changed out and added new ones for the work I've taken on in the last couple of weeks. After I got all that set up, I realized I needed the hanging folder file I'd seen at the store, so I went back after it.
What a difference that made! Now all of my folders plus most of my spiral notebooks that I use during interviews are all filed away in the box. No more piles of folders and notebooks on my desk and other working areas and most certainly not in the floor. I feel so much more efficient and hopefully I actually will be.
Now if I could just get the rest of my desk clean!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
What a difference that made! Now all of my folders plus most of my spiral notebooks that I use during interviews are all filed away in the box. No more piles of folders and notebooks on my desk and other working areas and most certainly not in the floor. I feel so much more efficient and hopefully I actually will be.
Now if I could just get the rest of my desk clean!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
More work calls for more organization
My work has picked up recently and my organization is going to have to as well! In addition to the several weekly freelance assignments I have with two newspapers, another newspaper that I write for as needed has some work for me, and I have picked up a brand new job as the editor of a quarterly newsletter produced by a nonprofit group.
This additional work is very exciting for me and calls for me to get things in my office better situated. I keep up with everything through a system of spiral notebooks and manila folders. This system works for me quite well.
Interview notes for each newspaper go in a particular color notebook. For instance, I write one weekly human interest feature for a newspaper near where I live each week. Those notes go in a purple spiral notebook. Another newspaper gives me several assignments each week. The human interest pieces for that newspaper go in the blue notebook. Other assignments for that paper go in red and green notebooks. Since everything is color coded it's easy for me to grab a notebook.
I buy these notebooks by the box when the school supplies go on sale for ten cents each. I bought $10 worth (that's 100 70-sheet notebooks, plenty even for me) when they went on sale last year and still have three boxes left.
Loose papers and other notes are kept in Manila folders, one each for all the different types of assignments I have. My folders were getting really ratty, plus I needed some more for my additional work, so I bought a box of 100 last night at my local discount store. I like the open manila folders so I can easily flip through my notes as one would look through a book.
After coming home and getting everything put away in folders, I realize that I also need a small file box with hanging folders to keep everything neat. Later today I'll go back to the store and buy a file box and a case of hanging folders, set it up, and just put my manila folders down in those. That should keep my things in better order and make it easier for me to quickly locate a file.
As I go along I'll probably think of other ways to keep things in order. That's good because I just love buying office supplies!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
This additional work is very exciting for me and calls for me to get things in my office better situated. I keep up with everything through a system of spiral notebooks and manila folders. This system works for me quite well.
Interview notes for each newspaper go in a particular color notebook. For instance, I write one weekly human interest feature for a newspaper near where I live each week. Those notes go in a purple spiral notebook. Another newspaper gives me several assignments each week. The human interest pieces for that newspaper go in the blue notebook. Other assignments for that paper go in red and green notebooks. Since everything is color coded it's easy for me to grab a notebook.
I buy these notebooks by the box when the school supplies go on sale for ten cents each. I bought $10 worth (that's 100 70-sheet notebooks, plenty even for me) when they went on sale last year and still have three boxes left.
Loose papers and other notes are kept in Manila folders, one each for all the different types of assignments I have. My folders were getting really ratty, plus I needed some more for my additional work, so I bought a box of 100 last night at my local discount store. I like the open manila folders so I can easily flip through my notes as one would look through a book.
After coming home and getting everything put away in folders, I realize that I also need a small file box with hanging folders to keep everything neat. Later today I'll go back to the store and buy a file box and a case of hanging folders, set it up, and just put my manila folders down in those. That should keep my things in better order and make it easier for me to quickly locate a file.
As I go along I'll probably think of other ways to keep things in order. That's good because I just love buying office supplies!
My website
My writing blog
My mom life blog
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