It brings a lot of change :)
I love spring and fall the most. The weather is perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. Some occasional showers to clean things up, and you are equally comfortable in jeans and t-shirts or shorts and a light sweater. In the spring you have the scent of "newness" on the air, and in the fall it is the crisp, clean scent of winter's bite approaching.
But I have to admit, I'm looking forward to wearing shorts and t-shirts and taking walks to the park and enjoying ice cream on a really hot day.
So far the week has started out good. I just wrote my first round of articles for Demand Studios today, and I have plenty of work from them to keep me busy for the rest of the week. Which means I have plenty of afternoon time to work on my next few chapters, which go back to characters we haven't seen since the first part of the book. I've been looking forward to these next few because they are the "main" two characters, although on opposite ends of the spectrum. I can't say too much more without giving it away :) Suffice to say, it's good!
I have a story submitted to the Writers of the Future contest. It's quarterly, so if I don't win I'll be submitting one of my other shorts to the next quarter, provided they don't sell where I have them circulating now. This summer will be my first "full time writing" summer, as last year I was absolutely only getting piecemeal jobs and sort of fumbling my way into the business. Now that I have established ties and clients, and sold some successful work here and there, it's looking like I'm moving into full-time mode pretty easily. This week looks to have me doing 4-5 hours of freelance work per day, and I think I'll be shooting for the 5 hour mark per day on a consecutive basis.
Also, I wrote my first article for Green Diva Mom yesterday. It's in editing atm, and I've got 6 other articles approved to do for their website over the course of the month. I'm sure I'll have more ideas to submit for approval, but my initial batch should keep me busy for the month when included with my Demand Studios work. Nothing yet from my other clients, but they gave me 3 months worth of steady work so I'm fine with it being a bit slow from them atm, since I was able to procure steady work elsewhere.
The most important change is health-wise! I've been fairly keen on staying healthy ever since my transition to Europe and a totally different diet. However, I put on about 5 pounds over the winter and now it's time to shed those. In addition, I want to get down to around 150 lbs. I'm around 165 atm. So, along with my regular exercise routine, I'm doing several things.
One: a fast. Which I started today. It's called the Lemonade Diet. Basically it's 4-5 days of liquid dieting, involving lemon water to detox the body and shrink the stomach. After that you spend 2-3 days easing back into solid food eating only veggies and fruits.
Once I hit that point, I'll be reducing my meat consumption to 2 times a week, and it will be mostly chicken and fish. My goal is to keep my caloric intake down around 1k a day, because I lead a fairly sedentary life, sitting in front of the computer like I do. I work out 6 days a week, in the mornings. Mon, Wed, and Fri are elliptical + chest weights. Tues, Thurs, Sat are arm weights + Pilates. Each workout lasts around 45 minutes and are cardio-intensive. I initially lost 30 lbs when I got here last year, over the course of 6 months, and I kept most of it off. However, I slacked over the holidays and let myself gain those 5 pounds or so and haven't shed it off yet because I've been eating like a horse.
I'm tying in my "green" food and drink articles over at Green Diva Mom with my fitness regime. It's a great way to stay motivated and provide people with first-hand examples of how things work.
Anyway, I have one more article to write and then I'm going to watch a couple of shows before I work on chapter work. Catch you on the flip side.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
It's about time!
One of the most annoying things about the U.S. has been its stance on global warming and the need to look into alternate means of energy and resources to continue life as we know it on this planet. While the rest of the world gladly participates in alternative energy discussions and ways to reduce greenhouse emissions, the United States has gone about its business like the giant bully, waving its fist in the air and declaring that it needs not heed such warnings because it is somehow magically exempt from the effects.
For those of you who might not be initiated, it all started back in 1997 with the introduction of the Kyoto Protocol. Basically, it's a world-wide effort put together by a variety of countries to lay down policies to reduce greenhouse emissions and set milestones and legal precedence in order to make sure that each country is doing its part. And while the U.S. was one of the country's spear-heading the operation back in 1997, the illustrious George W. Bush renounced the program when he came into office, claiming that Kyoto was a flawed agreement because it would harm the U.S. economy by requiring people to look at alternate means of energy.
I had to snicker at the part where he claimed it would harm the U.S. economy. This, coming from the man whose administration effectively ran the United States into the ground.
In fact, not so long ago, at a meeting in Bali, Indonesia, where talks were underway to renew the Kyoto Protocol, which is due to expire in 2012, the U.S. negotiators were literally booed off the stage when they threatened to veto a two-year negotiation process set in place to replace Kyoto. It got so heated, in fact, that one of the delegates basically told the U.S. negotiator to put up or shut up, saying "If you aren't willing to lead, then get out of the way".
Enter the Obama administration. On Sunday, in Germany, the U.S. actually won applause for the first time in years when the new administration pledged to make up for lost time in reaching a global agreement on climate change and ways the U.S. can cut their greenhouse emissions.
Obama gets it. And it's about damn time. Now, personally, I wasn't a big "green" freak until the past couple of years, and I have my wife to thank for my eventual change. But as I've done my own research and studied the facts, it's alarming. It's not just global warming or the reduction of the ozone layer. It's the continual consumption of limited resources. And while the rest of the world has been taking steps to insure our survival on this planet (with countries like Finland leading the pack in terms of alternative renewable energy resources), the U.S. has blindly continued on its path of destruction, putting the (cough cough) U.S. economy ahead of global warming and climate change.
However, Obama's administration faces a pretty big challenge. Making up for 8 years of blatant disregard for the climate (much the same way a child plugs his or her ears and yells "I can't hear you I can't hear you I can't hear you!" when ignoring someone) is a daunting task. Whether or not they can actually follow through remains to be seen, but at the very least they are willing to put the right foot forward and actually look into joining the global team of people who actually give a shit about our planet.
You can find the article I read over here
For those of you who might not be initiated, it all started back in 1997 with the introduction of the Kyoto Protocol. Basically, it's a world-wide effort put together by a variety of countries to lay down policies to reduce greenhouse emissions and set milestones and legal precedence in order to make sure that each country is doing its part. And while the U.S. was one of the country's spear-heading the operation back in 1997, the illustrious George W. Bush renounced the program when he came into office, claiming that Kyoto was a flawed agreement because it would harm the U.S. economy by requiring people to look at alternate means of energy.
I had to snicker at the part where he claimed it would harm the U.S. economy. This, coming from the man whose administration effectively ran the United States into the ground.
In fact, not so long ago, at a meeting in Bali, Indonesia, where talks were underway to renew the Kyoto Protocol, which is due to expire in 2012, the U.S. negotiators were literally booed off the stage when they threatened to veto a two-year negotiation process set in place to replace Kyoto. It got so heated, in fact, that one of the delegates basically told the U.S. negotiator to put up or shut up, saying "If you aren't willing to lead, then get out of the way".
Enter the Obama administration. On Sunday, in Germany, the U.S. actually won applause for the first time in years when the new administration pledged to make up for lost time in reaching a global agreement on climate change and ways the U.S. can cut their greenhouse emissions.
Obama gets it. And it's about damn time. Now, personally, I wasn't a big "green" freak until the past couple of years, and I have my wife to thank for my eventual change. But as I've done my own research and studied the facts, it's alarming. It's not just global warming or the reduction of the ozone layer. It's the continual consumption of limited resources. And while the rest of the world has been taking steps to insure our survival on this planet (with countries like Finland leading the pack in terms of alternative renewable energy resources), the U.S. has blindly continued on its path of destruction, putting the (cough cough) U.S. economy ahead of global warming and climate change.
However, Obama's administration faces a pretty big challenge. Making up for 8 years of blatant disregard for the climate (much the same way a child plugs his or her ears and yells "I can't hear you I can't hear you I can't hear you!" when ignoring someone) is a daunting task. Whether or not they can actually follow through remains to be seen, but at the very least they are willing to put the right foot forward and actually look into joining the global team of people who actually give a shit about our planet.
You can find the article I read over here
Home
After a somewhat relaxing weekend trip up the mountains, it's time to settle in for another week and see what I can't get done in the month of April. I know that technically it's not actually April yet, but for all intents and purposes I'm treating this as the first week of a new month.
Evy has new pictures up on her blog of our trip. Hop on over to check them out.
Evy has new pictures up on her blog of our trip. Hop on over to check them out.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Submission Guidelines
It'd be nice if magazines and webzines and such could all get together and agree on exactly what type of format they want submissions sent to them in. That used to be the case. There was a standard submission guidelines form that pretty much dictated "double space everything".
Nowadays it's as varied as the magazines/e-zines. Everybody wants something different. It took me damn near two hours to submit 4 short stories this afternoon. I had to re-format each story from it's baseline Word format to suit each publisher's unique requests. Some people want RTF. Some people want ODT. Some want double spaced. Others want single spaced. Some want you to use their unique and custom submission forms. Others want submissions included in the body of your e-mail. Some want italics. Others want you to remove italics and underscore instead. Some want indented paragraphs. Others don't.
The list goes on.
It's a small complaint. It's not like it really takes that much time. But after spending two hours just to filter through around 15k worth of text and formatting everything in different ways, I'm ready for a break. Time for a beer and a snack.
Nowadays it's as varied as the magazines/e-zines. Everybody wants something different. It took me damn near two hours to submit 4 short stories this afternoon. I had to re-format each story from it's baseline Word format to suit each publisher's unique requests. Some people want RTF. Some people want ODT. Some want double spaced. Others want single spaced. Some want you to use their unique and custom submission forms. Others want submissions included in the body of your e-mail. Some want italics. Others want you to remove italics and underscore instead. Some want indented paragraphs. Others don't.
The list goes on.
It's a small complaint. It's not like it really takes that much time. But after spending two hours just to filter through around 15k worth of text and formatting everything in different ways, I'm ready for a break. Time for a beer and a snack.
Holiday
We were invited on a weekend trip up to the mountains where Evy and her family took a ski trip earlier this year. Her mom's company is opening another store (their 15th or 16th, I can never remember) in the vicinity, and she invited us to come along for a Friday and Saturday night stay. I think most of the members tagging along have plans for skiing, but Evy and I plan on having a nice romantic weekend to ourselves. She picked out some great restaurants on her ski trip back in January, and we are going to enjoy a no-holds-barred night out, which we haven't done since we lived back in the U.S. Work is going great, and we have some extra money to blow, so we are going to take the time to live a little.
I'll post pictures more when she gets home and tells me the name of the village, but basically it's a little touristy town that is considered a "traditional" Bulgarian village and it's a hotspot for British and Irish tourists. Lots of quaint little houses and great restaurants, 4 and 5 star resorts (it's a ski resort town), and plenty of scenery.
We'll be leaving tomorrow at some point in the afternoon to go to the opening of the new store, after which we'll be heading to the village for a night on the town. Then it'll be a sleep-in Saturday with a diet-free lunch and dinner planned. I'm going to indulge! Diets can be so old after a while, and it's nice to just break free and go wild sometimes :)
Just finished up some chapter work. I still haven't finished chapter 10 this week, mainly because I took the last 2 nights to work on that latest short story which I finished last evening. Speaking of which, I've got a few submission to make today, so I better head out and get working.
I'll post pictures more when she gets home and tells me the name of the village, but basically it's a little touristy town that is considered a "traditional" Bulgarian village and it's a hotspot for British and Irish tourists. Lots of quaint little houses and great restaurants, 4 and 5 star resorts (it's a ski resort town), and plenty of scenery.
We'll be leaving tomorrow at some point in the afternoon to go to the opening of the new store, after which we'll be heading to the village for a night on the town. Then it'll be a sleep-in Saturday with a diet-free lunch and dinner planned. I'm going to indulge! Diets can be so old after a while, and it's nice to just break free and go wild sometimes :)
Just finished up some chapter work. I still haven't finished chapter 10 this week, mainly because I took the last 2 nights to work on that latest short story which I finished last evening. Speaking of which, I've got a few submission to make today, so I better head out and get working.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Production
Finished the short story I started last night. Topped out at just over 3k words for about 3 hours worth of work. Evy chuckled 3 times while reading it, which is a good sign.
Spent the day researching spec-fic markets so I can start submitting all of these stories I have piling up. I've 1 in submission atm, 3 ready for circulation, and I just finished this one tonight. Going to let it simmer for a week or so before I give it a polish edit and submit.
A good day.
Spent the day researching spec-fic markets so I can start submitting all of these stories I have piling up. I've 1 in submission atm, 3 ready for circulation, and I just finished this one tonight. Going to let it simmer for a week or so before I give it a polish edit and submit.
A good day.
The World is Your Oyster: Part One
Over the coming months I'll be blogging about something that I find worth delving into with greater detail: the effect of the Internet and global communication. Specifically I'd like to focus on the effects that it has had on the job market in specific countries. Having come from the Western part of the world, I regularly keep tabs on things back in the U.S., and some of my clients are from the U.S. as well. I also have clients in Thailand, the U.K., Australia, among other places.
In today's society the borders of our countries really don't mean anything anymore, other than geographical boundaries. With education around the world relatively on the same level, employers are beginning to look beyond their own country for employees, especially in job sectors where a physical seat in the office doesn't necessarily need to be filled in order for the job tasks to be carried out. For example, the freelance writing market, or the print market in general. Journalism, freelance writing, copy writing, SEO writing, copy editing, and more, these are all jobs that can be completed by anyone who has the relevant skills.
For example, let's take a company from the U.S. Let's say your average magazine or newspaper. They are willing to pay a competitive wage. But here's the thing: they aren't just pulling potential writers out of a local pool anymore. It's not just open to relevant individuals within their country, but rather the entire globe. Why? Because the Internet means that anyone with the qualifications can complete the work. And here's where the crux of the issue comes into play. A person from say, India, or the Philippines, goes up against a writer from the U.S. in a bidding war for the job. The employer looks over the quotes. The first thing he notices is that the writer from India/Philippines (this is just an example...any country could apply) has quoted him rates that are anywhere from 40 to 60% lower than the writer from the U.S. Any smart business plan will have the employer hiring the low bid...so long as the qualifications are relevant.
If you take two people with the same level of skill, education, and background, and one of them is from a country with a high cost of living, and then compare him against someone from a country with a drastically lower cost of living, each person's bid is going to be relevant to his or her present cost of living and what they consider to be an acceptable wage. The problem with this is that for many writers in the United States, it means the jobs they have come to rely on in the past are now being farmed out to people who are willing to do the same work for a fraction of the price.
Are the companies concerned? Absolutely not. Why? Because they are getting services at a drastic discount, but still marketing their end-product the same as ever, meaning their profit revenues go up.
It's a sticky topic with a lot of freelance journalists and writers, because there have been a rising number of content generation sites opening up in the last year or two that are farming work out at dramatically low prices. Where a writer might have been able to get 100 dollars for a 1k word article 2 years ago, those same 1k articles are now being farmed out for under 5 dollars. Many writers feel that it is unfair, that the wages shouldn't have been dropped that low, and that the writers accepting such low paying work are only perpetuating the system and they shouldn't take the jobs, thus forcing employers to raise the rates again.
It won't happen. Why? Because we can't afford to selfishly think of ourselves as locked into regional borders when it comes to methods and means of employment. We (writers) are no longer competing only against other qualified candidates from our own country. We are now competing with writers from all over the globe. And while 2 dollars for a 1k word article might be pennies to someone used to making 100 dollars for that same article, for someone from a third-world country who has the relevant qualifications, that 2 dollars is worth a hell of a lot more than it is to you or I.
While I agree that fair standards should be in place to insure that writers are getting a fair wage as a bottom line, I also don't think that it's going to be an easy thing to put into place. After all, we aren't just competing with the people from within our own country anymore who have the same cost of living and thus need the same amount per article or per hour. The competition is growing by the day as more and more people around the world gain access to the Internet. We can't afford to think of ourselves as locked in by borders, because they don't exist anymore. Global communication means the entire world has access to these jobs, and in order to stay competitive you either have to learn how to work for as cheaply as they do, or move on to greener pastures (if you can find them).
In today's society the borders of our countries really don't mean anything anymore, other than geographical boundaries. With education around the world relatively on the same level, employers are beginning to look beyond their own country for employees, especially in job sectors where a physical seat in the office doesn't necessarily need to be filled in order for the job tasks to be carried out. For example, the freelance writing market, or the print market in general. Journalism, freelance writing, copy writing, SEO writing, copy editing, and more, these are all jobs that can be completed by anyone who has the relevant skills.
For example, let's take a company from the U.S. Let's say your average magazine or newspaper. They are willing to pay a competitive wage. But here's the thing: they aren't just pulling potential writers out of a local pool anymore. It's not just open to relevant individuals within their country, but rather the entire globe. Why? Because the Internet means that anyone with the qualifications can complete the work. And here's where the crux of the issue comes into play. A person from say, India, or the Philippines, goes up against a writer from the U.S. in a bidding war for the job. The employer looks over the quotes. The first thing he notices is that the writer from India/Philippines (this is just an example...any country could apply) has quoted him rates that are anywhere from 40 to 60% lower than the writer from the U.S. Any smart business plan will have the employer hiring the low bid...so long as the qualifications are relevant.
If you take two people with the same level of skill, education, and background, and one of them is from a country with a high cost of living, and then compare him against someone from a country with a drastically lower cost of living, each person's bid is going to be relevant to his or her present cost of living and what they consider to be an acceptable wage. The problem with this is that for many writers in the United States, it means the jobs they have come to rely on in the past are now being farmed out to people who are willing to do the same work for a fraction of the price.
Are the companies concerned? Absolutely not. Why? Because they are getting services at a drastic discount, but still marketing their end-product the same as ever, meaning their profit revenues go up.
It's a sticky topic with a lot of freelance journalists and writers, because there have been a rising number of content generation sites opening up in the last year or two that are farming work out at dramatically low prices. Where a writer might have been able to get 100 dollars for a 1k word article 2 years ago, those same 1k articles are now being farmed out for under 5 dollars. Many writers feel that it is unfair, that the wages shouldn't have been dropped that low, and that the writers accepting such low paying work are only perpetuating the system and they shouldn't take the jobs, thus forcing employers to raise the rates again.
It won't happen. Why? Because we can't afford to selfishly think of ourselves as locked into regional borders when it comes to methods and means of employment. We (writers) are no longer competing only against other qualified candidates from our own country. We are now competing with writers from all over the globe. And while 2 dollars for a 1k word article might be pennies to someone used to making 100 dollars for that same article, for someone from a third-world country who has the relevant qualifications, that 2 dollars is worth a hell of a lot more than it is to you or I.
While I agree that fair standards should be in place to insure that writers are getting a fair wage as a bottom line, I also don't think that it's going to be an easy thing to put into place. After all, we aren't just competing with the people from within our own country anymore who have the same cost of living and thus need the same amount per article or per hour. The competition is growing by the day as more and more people around the world gain access to the Internet. We can't afford to think of ourselves as locked in by borders, because they don't exist anymore. Global communication means the entire world has access to these jobs, and in order to stay competitive you either have to learn how to work for as cheaply as they do, or move on to greener pastures (if you can find them).
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tidings of great joy and...stuff
I traded chapter work for short story work today. Had a great idea in bed the other night, and I pushed it about halfway this evening. Should finish it up tomorrow, and push chapter 10 to completion by the end of the week. That will be past the 70k mark in my book, and slightly over 30% done. So about 8% per month, working on it part-time, 10 hours or so a week.
I also have two new jobs/clients to add to my list this evening. I got accepted to write in the Food and Drinks section over at www.greendivamom.com, so I'll be doing a few articles per month over there detailing "Green" recipes and food/drink discussions. My resume also went through over at Demand Studios, and it looks like I'll be using them as filler. After I set up my profile and such I spent about 15 minutes browsing jobs and found nearly 2 dozen that I could write on, which means I should be able to double my part-time income starting next month.
All in all, it was a productive and exciting new day. 2009 is shaping up to be a great year.
I also have two new jobs/clients to add to my list this evening. I got accepted to write in the Food and Drinks section over at www.greendivamom.com, so I'll be doing a few articles per month over there detailing "Green" recipes and food/drink discussions. My resume also went through over at Demand Studios, and it looks like I'll be using them as filler. After I set up my profile and such I spent about 15 minutes browsing jobs and found nearly 2 dozen that I could write on, which means I should be able to double my part-time income starting next month.
All in all, it was a productive and exciting new day. 2009 is shaping up to be a great year.
Monday, March 23, 2009
On the prowl
Went out to lunch with Woman today, in between two of her classes. She found three new arts-and-crafts stores, and we've been tossing ideas back and forth for the last few weeks about projects we can work on over the spring/summer months. You can see some of the things she has been working on over on her blog (Greens and Crafts...follow the link on the blogs I follow page), and I'm going to let her post the pictures of our attempts at various things on her page...so I can keep mine clean and simple!
I'm planning on making some leather bracelets, anklets, and necklaces for fun. I'm also going to make a bamboo picture frame, and we have been talking about a bamboo coffee table. Her deco art stuff is going really well. We found a nice 12 drawer wooden dresser for her odds and ends that we are going to pick up next week, and we bought her two new brushes today for her deco work.
I'm very much the "assistant" in these projects, because it's her passion, much like the gardening. I enjoy helping out because it's something we can do together. Still, she was very excited today at one of the stores we found, because they had components she had been unable to find elsewhere.
If there's one thing I miss about the U.S. it's the convenience factor. Places like Michael's, where you have a one-stop crafting store for all your needs. Here, you have to find these little hole-in-the-wall places that are literally nothing more than a room or two off of an alley and hope that they have what you are looking for. If they don't, you have to move on to the next, and the next, and the next, until you find what you were after. It's annoying, but it's part of life here. At least now we found four art shops clustered within 5 minutes walking distance of each other, 5-10 minutes from her school, so it's rather convenient.
Off to do chapter work. More when I have extra time.
I'm planning on making some leather bracelets, anklets, and necklaces for fun. I'm also going to make a bamboo picture frame, and we have been talking about a bamboo coffee table. Her deco art stuff is going really well. We found a nice 12 drawer wooden dresser for her odds and ends that we are going to pick up next week, and we bought her two new brushes today for her deco work.
I'm very much the "assistant" in these projects, because it's her passion, much like the gardening. I enjoy helping out because it's something we can do together. Still, she was very excited today at one of the stores we found, because they had components she had been unable to find elsewhere.
If there's one thing I miss about the U.S. it's the convenience factor. Places like Michael's, where you have a one-stop crafting store for all your needs. Here, you have to find these little hole-in-the-wall places that are literally nothing more than a room or two off of an alley and hope that they have what you are looking for. If they don't, you have to move on to the next, and the next, and the next, until you find what you were after. It's annoying, but it's part of life here. At least now we found four art shops clustered within 5 minutes walking distance of each other, 5-10 minutes from her school, so it's rather convenient.
Off to do chapter work. More when I have extra time.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Battlestar Galactica: The End
After following the show since the mini-series aired back in...2003?...it finally came to a close with Friday night's hour and a half season finale.
We both cried when Roslyn died. And I was held in complete shock when they actually admitted that Starbuck was indeed an angel. The moment when she just disappears when Lee is explaining what he wants to do on the new planet (Earth) was epic. I mean, I suspected, but to have it come out as truth...that was an amazing moment.
I am 200% satisfied with the ending of the show. They wrapped it up clean, and tied it into real-life science history here on actual Earth with the discovery of the Eve skeleton they found recently: a skeleton that apparently is close to 150k years old.
And the thought that all of us descended from human/Cylon crossbreeding was just a great twist! I was particularly excited when they got to Earth and found it was post-Caveman but pre-Speech humanity...a wandering tribal society who were hunter/gatherers. They didn't know about cultivation/farming, or speech, and that's where the humans from the 12 colonies stepped in. And their decision to move on with a new life on this planet without any of their technology was a bold step, and it made total sense...tabula rasa...a clean slate, a fresh start, to finally break the cycle that had repeated itself so many times before.
Probably one of my favorite moments in the finale was when Starbuck is told to send Galactica into lightspeed but she doesn't know the coordinates, and the song and images flash into her head and she starts thinking back to those moments when she was playing the song on the piano and thinking of putting numbers to the notes. She starts pounding the keypad as the notes play and viola, they appear just above the Moon, with Earth in the distance.
I am more than satisfied with the end of this show. We were actually both moping around the house last night commenting on how sad it is that one of our favorite shows is now over. They tied it together in a BRILLIANTLY completed finale, and I am overly satisfied with how it all turned out. Kudos to the writers, producers, and actors on a job well done over the past several years.
With that being said...I'm looking forward to the Edward James Olmos helmed prequel movie later this year, and to the prequel series Caprica next year. I know it's not going to be a "space" show, but rather about how the Cylons were first created, but if they do half as good of a job as they did on BSG, then I'll be happy.
Over the years some shows haven't delivered the goods. Alias is one of my all-time favorite shows, but the ending was horrible: a contrived piece thrown together after they found out the show was getting canceled after 5 seasons. Similarly Rome left you hanging after the end of the 2nd season when the show was canceled. But Battlestar Galactica pulled off one of those endings that leaves you with a wonderful aftertaste.
Bravo on a great run. To all the cast and crew...thank you for a wonderful show that has kept us entertained.
We both cried when Roslyn died. And I was held in complete shock when they actually admitted that Starbuck was indeed an angel. The moment when she just disappears when Lee is explaining what he wants to do on the new planet (Earth) was epic. I mean, I suspected, but to have it come out as truth...that was an amazing moment.
I am 200% satisfied with the ending of the show. They wrapped it up clean, and tied it into real-life science history here on actual Earth with the discovery of the Eve skeleton they found recently: a skeleton that apparently is close to 150k years old.
And the thought that all of us descended from human/Cylon crossbreeding was just a great twist! I was particularly excited when they got to Earth and found it was post-Caveman but pre-Speech humanity...a wandering tribal society who were hunter/gatherers. They didn't know about cultivation/farming, or speech, and that's where the humans from the 12 colonies stepped in. And their decision to move on with a new life on this planet without any of their technology was a bold step, and it made total sense...tabula rasa...a clean slate, a fresh start, to finally break the cycle that had repeated itself so many times before.
Probably one of my favorite moments in the finale was when Starbuck is told to send Galactica into lightspeed but she doesn't know the coordinates, and the song and images flash into her head and she starts thinking back to those moments when she was playing the song on the piano and thinking of putting numbers to the notes. She starts pounding the keypad as the notes play and viola, they appear just above the Moon, with Earth in the distance.
I am more than satisfied with the end of this show. We were actually both moping around the house last night commenting on how sad it is that one of our favorite shows is now over. They tied it together in a BRILLIANTLY completed finale, and I am overly satisfied with how it all turned out. Kudos to the writers, producers, and actors on a job well done over the past several years.
With that being said...I'm looking forward to the Edward James Olmos helmed prequel movie later this year, and to the prequel series Caprica next year. I know it's not going to be a "space" show, but rather about how the Cylons were first created, but if they do half as good of a job as they did on BSG, then I'll be happy.
Over the years some shows haven't delivered the goods. Alias is one of my all-time favorite shows, but the ending was horrible: a contrived piece thrown together after they found out the show was getting canceled after 5 seasons. Similarly Rome left you hanging after the end of the 2nd season when the show was canceled. But Battlestar Galactica pulled off one of those endings that leaves you with a wonderful aftertaste.
Bravo on a great run. To all the cast and crew...thank you for a wonderful show that has kept us entertained.
Stories of inspiration
I was browsing the news this morning and I stumbled across this little tidbit about a current exploration team down in Antarctica.
The ingenuity of the team is what strikes me as most impressive. These are all young scientists in their late 20's to early/mid 30's, and the brilliant minds grouped together are coming up with innovative solutions to problems they face on a daily basis. In particular the part where the mechanic jury-rigs a solution to retrieving their lost drill from a hole hundreds of feet down in the ice was just epic, or where he rigged a heater to keep the motors from freezing up in -40 temperatures.
Actually, in retrospect, the mechanic was probably the most innovative of the whole team. He continually seems to get them out of rough situations.
But still...it reminded me that humans are, at their hearts, explorers. And the purpose of this mission is multi-faceted: to find out how Earth survived global warming in the past, how high the ocean levels rose, and so on. And it's good to know that there are scientists out there working on finding the answers to questions that could help us make the most of what's left of our planet.
The ingenuity of the team is what strikes me as most impressive. These are all young scientists in their late 20's to early/mid 30's, and the brilliant minds grouped together are coming up with innovative solutions to problems they face on a daily basis. In particular the part where the mechanic jury-rigs a solution to retrieving their lost drill from a hole hundreds of feet down in the ice was just epic, or where he rigged a heater to keep the motors from freezing up in -40 temperatures.
Actually, in retrospect, the mechanic was probably the most innovative of the whole team. He continually seems to get them out of rough situations.
But still...it reminded me that humans are, at their hearts, explorers. And the purpose of this mission is multi-faceted: to find out how Earth survived global warming in the past, how high the ocean levels rose, and so on. And it's good to know that there are scientists out there working on finding the answers to questions that could help us make the most of what's left of our planet.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Pizza day!
Fridays include two things: pizza and the latest episode of Lost.
I cook Sunday through Thursday evenings. I play house-bitch, as my sister lovingly refers to me. I'm the stay-at-home spouse, so I make sure to have dinner hot and ready when she gets home from school/work. I don't always have the house as clean as she likes it, but I'm a cook, not a cleaner ;)
But Friday is pizza night. That means no dishes, no oven, no mess. Pop online, order a couple of pizzas, and kick back with a couple episodes of our favorite shows or a movie. And this Friday evening looks perfect. The sky is rumbling with the precursor grumblings of evening showers, which are much needed to get the spring cleaning of the city underway. It's amazing how much dirt and debris can pile up in the nooks and crannies of the alleyways during the winter months, and spring rains help get it all smoothed away and ready for the warmer months to come.
Which, incidentally, I'm looking forward to with increased expectation. I'm ready to start eating dinners out on the balcony and enjoying walks to the park again, instead of being cooped up in the apartment.
In any case...looks to be a fun weekend! Tomorrow night we have dinner at a friend's house, and Sunday is going to be a complete and uninterrupted relaxation day. I'm going to do some chapter work tomorrow morning, but other than that...it's smooth sailing.
Tummy's rumbling. I'm hungry. Go go gadget pizza website!
I cook Sunday through Thursday evenings. I play house-bitch, as my sister lovingly refers to me. I'm the stay-at-home spouse, so I make sure to have dinner hot and ready when she gets home from school/work. I don't always have the house as clean as she likes it, but I'm a cook, not a cleaner ;)
But Friday is pizza night. That means no dishes, no oven, no mess. Pop online, order a couple of pizzas, and kick back with a couple episodes of our favorite shows or a movie. And this Friday evening looks perfect. The sky is rumbling with the precursor grumblings of evening showers, which are much needed to get the spring cleaning of the city underway. It's amazing how much dirt and debris can pile up in the nooks and crannies of the alleyways during the winter months, and spring rains help get it all smoothed away and ready for the warmer months to come.
Which, incidentally, I'm looking forward to with increased expectation. I'm ready to start eating dinners out on the balcony and enjoying walks to the park again, instead of being cooped up in the apartment.
In any case...looks to be a fun weekend! Tomorrow night we have dinner at a friend's house, and Sunday is going to be a complete and uninterrupted relaxation day. I'm going to do some chapter work tomorrow morning, but other than that...it's smooth sailing.
Tummy's rumbling. I'm hungry. Go go gadget pizza website!
Friday!
It's Friday! That means the "official" end of the work week. I do, however, work on Saturdays and Sundays, at least on personal projects. Which really isn't work when you consider it's doing the things you love the most.
One thing I've always been firm on, and probably one of the reasons why I will never be a millionaire, is I'm a firm believer in "time off". When I worked for my old man it would piss him off to no end because as soon as my work day was over my cell phone got turned off. Every day. When I'm off the clock, I'm off the clock. Period. In fact it got me fired twice because my father is a control-freak who needs to be able to demand things from you at all hours of the day or night. Many was the time I'd get a phone call at 10 p.m. at night regarding what needed to be done the following day and at one point I finally had enough...I started shutting off my phone when I left the job site.
I carried that over to my own personal business when I branched out in the early 21st century. And I never had a single client complain about it. I had a very strict schedule: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any calls between those time periods would be answered if I was in a position to answer it. Any calls after 5 would be ignored, and put straight through to voice-mail. Most importantly, my weekend time is my time. On Friday nights I would shut my phone off and my voicemail would direct people to leave a message and I'd get back with them on Monday morning. Every business out there has working hours, and to this day I will never understand why my father doesn't allow his employees to have such. Granted, he's made a few hundred million over the years with his business, but he's also had an extremely high turn-around on employees. I can honestly say that in the years I worked for him I can't think of a single person who stuck around for more than 6 months because they got tired of the "no personal life allowed" working environment. Yes, he always paid extremely well, and he's gotten better over the years, but that's no way to work.
Everyone needs a break from their real job. I'm a firm believer that life isn't worth living unless you enjoy the very act of living. And it's impossible to live if all you do is work. As a consequence, I've been able to explore a lot of different places over the years and garnish a wide variety of experiences beneath my belt. I've been to many different countries and experienced cultures that most people never take the chance to do because they don't get out and live life to the fullest.
The downside? I've never amassed a fortune. I've probably blown close to 60 thousand USD on plane tickets and vacations over the past 10 years or so, but I consider it money well spent. I've got to travel, explore, experience, and live a little. And I've done it because I have a firm belief that there is a distinct line that needs to separate work from fun, and that life isn't worth living unless you have some fun :)
So for those of you out there who are work-aholics...take a breather! Enjoy a 2 or 3 day weekend for a change! Take a weekend trip to somewhere special with your loved ones, or by yourself if you aren't otherwise attached. Go camping, hiking, biking, or ride a train to somewhere you've never been before. Go to the airport and find out if there are any standby tickets available and simply pick a destination at random with only a small bag packed with your toiletries. Get out there and experience something rather than letting your work bog you down in the never ending cycle of 40 hour work weeks with only 1 or 2 weeks of scheduled vacations per year.
Make every day a Friday. It'll make your life so much more fun!
One thing I've always been firm on, and probably one of the reasons why I will never be a millionaire, is I'm a firm believer in "time off". When I worked for my old man it would piss him off to no end because as soon as my work day was over my cell phone got turned off. Every day. When I'm off the clock, I'm off the clock. Period. In fact it got me fired twice because my father is a control-freak who needs to be able to demand things from you at all hours of the day or night. Many was the time I'd get a phone call at 10 p.m. at night regarding what needed to be done the following day and at one point I finally had enough...I started shutting off my phone when I left the job site.
I carried that over to my own personal business when I branched out in the early 21st century. And I never had a single client complain about it. I had a very strict schedule: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any calls between those time periods would be answered if I was in a position to answer it. Any calls after 5 would be ignored, and put straight through to voice-mail. Most importantly, my weekend time is my time. On Friday nights I would shut my phone off and my voicemail would direct people to leave a message and I'd get back with them on Monday morning. Every business out there has working hours, and to this day I will never understand why my father doesn't allow his employees to have such. Granted, he's made a few hundred million over the years with his business, but he's also had an extremely high turn-around on employees. I can honestly say that in the years I worked for him I can't think of a single person who stuck around for more than 6 months because they got tired of the "no personal life allowed" working environment. Yes, he always paid extremely well, and he's gotten better over the years, but that's no way to work.
Everyone needs a break from their real job. I'm a firm believer that life isn't worth living unless you enjoy the very act of living. And it's impossible to live if all you do is work. As a consequence, I've been able to explore a lot of different places over the years and garnish a wide variety of experiences beneath my belt. I've been to many different countries and experienced cultures that most people never take the chance to do because they don't get out and live life to the fullest.
The downside? I've never amassed a fortune. I've probably blown close to 60 thousand USD on plane tickets and vacations over the past 10 years or so, but I consider it money well spent. I've got to travel, explore, experience, and live a little. And I've done it because I have a firm belief that there is a distinct line that needs to separate work from fun, and that life isn't worth living unless you have some fun :)
So for those of you out there who are work-aholics...take a breather! Enjoy a 2 or 3 day weekend for a change! Take a weekend trip to somewhere special with your loved ones, or by yourself if you aren't otherwise attached. Go camping, hiking, biking, or ride a train to somewhere you've never been before. Go to the airport and find out if there are any standby tickets available and simply pick a destination at random with only a small bag packed with your toiletries. Get out there and experience something rather than letting your work bog you down in the never ending cycle of 40 hour work weeks with only 1 or 2 weeks of scheduled vacations per year.
Make every day a Friday. It'll make your life so much more fun!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
arglebargle
One of those days. Still, I've got a project to get done, so I'm busy at it. But it's definitely one of those days when the fluff refuses to dissipate and an air of "ugh" lingers over everything. Evy had a very difficult time of getting motivated to head to work and school today, and I'm finding the same lack of motivation. I think it's just one of those dreary days when it's chilly, windy, murky, and it bogs you down mentally.
We are going to a friend's house on Saturday night, so we've got some cookies to bake on Saturday, but other than that the only thing I plan on doing over the weekend is relax and watch Stargate: SG-1 episodes + our other shows for the week. Spending today/tomorrow doing my SEO project and chapter work as per normal, but doing it through half-lidded eyes. Sleep sounds sooooo good right now. Damn you work!
We are going to a friend's house on Saturday night, so we've got some cookies to bake on Saturday, but other than that the only thing I plan on doing over the weekend is relax and watch Stargate: SG-1 episodes + our other shows for the week. Spending today/tomorrow doing my SEO project and chapter work as per normal, but doing it through half-lidded eyes. Sleep sounds sooooo good right now. Damn you work!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Shows We Love
I follow a lot of shows. A lot. Seriously. A lot. Lost, The Tudors, Fringe, Battlestar Galactica, Legend of the Seeker, True Blood, Dollhouse, Burn Notice, Dexter, Heroes...just to name a few. And being a long-time Browncoat myself and fan of the Firefly series, I was ecstatic to find that Nathan Fillion was starring in a new show.
It's called Castle, and for those of you who haven't watched the first couple of episodes...you really should. It's a great combination of comedy and drama. Basically it's about this mystery novel writer who is highly successful but gets bored with the character so he kills him off. Writer's block hits. He then finds himself involved in a series of murders that are carried out exactly the same way as his books describe them. He is brought in to consult with the police, and you meet the female lead. After they solve the initial case, he finds inspiration in her for a new character, and comes on board the police force to shadow her every move as he researches his next series of novels.
His character is Rick Castle, and Fillion pulls it off with his natural flair. The character is great, and the on-screen chemistry between him and Stana Katic (playing Detective Kate Beckett) is brilliant. I was hard-pressed to remember where I had seen her before until I looked her up on IMDB and saw she was the main female actress in the latest Librarian movie (which are cute little adventure tales made for TV in the vein of Indiana Jones, only slightly more fantastical).
I think the show has a good shot at making it, and it's certainly a breath of fresh air in the light of so many "dark" shows that have made their way to the airways in recent years. Plus, it gives me something else to watch as Battlestar Galactica finally winds down to the final episode this weekend. I have to say, after following the show since the mini-series it's a relief to know that it's finally coming to a close, and I'm really looking forward to the prequel show that Sci-Fi is shooting to air next year, Caprica.
My wife's favorite is The Tudors. Not as fun as Rome was, in my book, but still a damn good fun. I think my favorite show that is ongoing atm is either Dexter or Heroes. Fringe is really good, but not as fun as Alias was (I loved Alias), and Dollhouse is picking up nicely. The first episode was a bit shakey, but as the storyline unfolds I'm finding myself pleased with the show.
Anyway, that's it for the night. I totally slacked today and didn't write a single word of constructive content. No book work, no freelance work, not a thing. I had a bout of insomnia last night and was up until 6 a.m., then I slept till 10. Got up, worked out, went arts and crafts shopping with my wife, then came home and cooked a late lunch and took a nap. Woke up, browsed sites, made posts, and I'm about to watch the latest episode of Castle before calling it a night. Tomorrow = a real work day because I need to make up for slacking today. I've got chapter work to complete, plus a project that's due on Monday, and more shows to watch this weekend!
It's called Castle, and for those of you who haven't watched the first couple of episodes...you really should. It's a great combination of comedy and drama. Basically it's about this mystery novel writer who is highly successful but gets bored with the character so he kills him off. Writer's block hits. He then finds himself involved in a series of murders that are carried out exactly the same way as his books describe them. He is brought in to consult with the police, and you meet the female lead. After they solve the initial case, he finds inspiration in her for a new character, and comes on board the police force to shadow her every move as he researches his next series of novels.
His character is Rick Castle, and Fillion pulls it off with his natural flair. The character is great, and the on-screen chemistry between him and Stana Katic (playing Detective Kate Beckett) is brilliant. I was hard-pressed to remember where I had seen her before until I looked her up on IMDB and saw she was the main female actress in the latest Librarian movie (which are cute little adventure tales made for TV in the vein of Indiana Jones, only slightly more fantastical).
I think the show has a good shot at making it, and it's certainly a breath of fresh air in the light of so many "dark" shows that have made their way to the airways in recent years. Plus, it gives me something else to watch as Battlestar Galactica finally winds down to the final episode this weekend. I have to say, after following the show since the mini-series it's a relief to know that it's finally coming to a close, and I'm really looking forward to the prequel show that Sci-Fi is shooting to air next year, Caprica.
My wife's favorite is The Tudors. Not as fun as Rome was, in my book, but still a damn good fun. I think my favorite show that is ongoing atm is either Dexter or Heroes. Fringe is really good, but not as fun as Alias was (I loved Alias), and Dollhouse is picking up nicely. The first episode was a bit shakey, but as the storyline unfolds I'm finding myself pleased with the show.
Anyway, that's it for the night. I totally slacked today and didn't write a single word of constructive content. No book work, no freelance work, not a thing. I had a bout of insomnia last night and was up until 6 a.m., then I slept till 10. Got up, worked out, went arts and crafts shopping with my wife, then came home and cooked a late lunch and took a nap. Woke up, browsed sites, made posts, and I'm about to watch the latest episode of Castle before calling it a night. Tomorrow = a real work day because I need to make up for slacking today. I've got chapter work to complete, plus a project that's due on Monday, and more shows to watch this weekend!
The importance of contracts
In any type of working environment, contracts play a vital role. They protect both parties and help establish a set of guidelines for the project at hand. Without a contract, there are no guarantees. Establishing expectations up front not only helps build trust between both parties involved, but also insures that everyone gets what they deserve.
It is rare that a breach of contract occurs, but it can happen. Having everything in writing protects both sides. In 15 years of construction management I only had one instance where I was forced to deal with a breach of contract issue, but I managed to stumble upon my first issue recently with a client who attempted to withhold payment after the content in question had already been pushed live to their website. It was performing poorly and they claimed that they should only have to pay half of the agreed-upon price.
Something my dad said to me years ago has stuck with me over the years: use constitutes acceptance. Once someone uses a product, they signify it is complete, that it is accepted. In this particular case I completed a project back in December and then waited--patiently--until the middle of February before I finally complained about a lack of payment. I'm sorry, but 6 weeks is far too long, especially when the content has been live on your website for 2 weeks. This was from a client who previously had always been prompt in their payments. When I asked where my money was, they replied with the statement, "well, our customers aren't happy with the product, and we feel that you need to re-write it to meet expectations. Otherwise we are only going to pay you half of the money we owe you".
The first thing I did was pull out my contract. First of all, there was an agreed upon price written into the contract. Secondly, there was a period of time they were allowed to ask for a re-write: up to two weeks after my final submission, which occurred shortly before Christmas of 2008. They accepted my product, and then proceeded to push it live on their website. So not only were they in breach of contract for asking me to revise an article well beyond the contractual time period of two weeks, they were also in breach of contract for refusing to pay the agreed-upon flat fee. Their use of my content on their website signified that they accepted it as complete, and therefore I was due a full payment. If a revision was necessary it should have been asked for in the allotted time for revisions: the two week period.
I received a prompt, full payment to my Paypal account within a few hours of my first irritated e-mail.
It's frustrating when you have to pull the breach of contract card, but sometimes it is necessary. Customer expectations are ridiculous sometimes, and the U.S. belief that "the customer is always right" is simply ludicrous at best. The customer is not always right. Sometimes, the customer has unrealistic expectations and needs to be reminded that the world is not there to serve them personally, nor is every single individual on this planet expected to bow down before them and worship at their feet.
That being said, my client and I discussed the unrealistic customer expectations and they agreed with me...after I pulled the breach of contract card. Our professional relationship is moving ahead despite a slight hiccup, and I am once again reminded that simple business sense can go a long way towards resolving issues. A contract is one of the single most important things in any venture, because it makes sure that the client gets what they expected and also insures that the person providing the service gets what they expect.
Never, ever go into a project without a contract. It's just plain business sense.
It is rare that a breach of contract occurs, but it can happen. Having everything in writing protects both sides. In 15 years of construction management I only had one instance where I was forced to deal with a breach of contract issue, but I managed to stumble upon my first issue recently with a client who attempted to withhold payment after the content in question had already been pushed live to their website. It was performing poorly and they claimed that they should only have to pay half of the agreed-upon price.
Something my dad said to me years ago has stuck with me over the years: use constitutes acceptance. Once someone uses a product, they signify it is complete, that it is accepted. In this particular case I completed a project back in December and then waited--patiently--until the middle of February before I finally complained about a lack of payment. I'm sorry, but 6 weeks is far too long, especially when the content has been live on your website for 2 weeks. This was from a client who previously had always been prompt in their payments. When I asked where my money was, they replied with the statement, "well, our customers aren't happy with the product, and we feel that you need to re-write it to meet expectations. Otherwise we are only going to pay you half of the money we owe you".
The first thing I did was pull out my contract. First of all, there was an agreed upon price written into the contract. Secondly, there was a period of time they were allowed to ask for a re-write: up to two weeks after my final submission, which occurred shortly before Christmas of 2008. They accepted my product, and then proceeded to push it live on their website. So not only were they in breach of contract for asking me to revise an article well beyond the contractual time period of two weeks, they were also in breach of contract for refusing to pay the agreed-upon flat fee. Their use of my content on their website signified that they accepted it as complete, and therefore I was due a full payment. If a revision was necessary it should have been asked for in the allotted time for revisions: the two week period.
I received a prompt, full payment to my Paypal account within a few hours of my first irritated e-mail.
It's frustrating when you have to pull the breach of contract card, but sometimes it is necessary. Customer expectations are ridiculous sometimes, and the U.S. belief that "the customer is always right" is simply ludicrous at best. The customer is not always right. Sometimes, the customer has unrealistic expectations and needs to be reminded that the world is not there to serve them personally, nor is every single individual on this planet expected to bow down before them and worship at their feet.
That being said, my client and I discussed the unrealistic customer expectations and they agreed with me...after I pulled the breach of contract card. Our professional relationship is moving ahead despite a slight hiccup, and I am once again reminded that simple business sense can go a long way towards resolving issues. A contract is one of the single most important things in any venture, because it makes sure that the client gets what they expected and also insures that the person providing the service gets what they expect.
Never, ever go into a project without a contract. It's just plain business sense.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A Strange Brew
So I'm sitting here listening to Tom Wait's Frank's Wild Years album and reading some news clips and I stumbled across an article dealing with the AIG bailout funds. The particular quote that I want to point out is from Iowa Senator Charles Grassley in regards to the latest uproar regarding the AIG bonus payouts which have the U.S. population as well as the Obama administration putraged. Senator Grassley's solution?
"Obviously, maybe they ought to be removed. But I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide."
I have to say, I agree with the sentiment. And I'm sure most Americans would agree. Hell, any sane individual, regardless of what country they come from, would agree. The bailout money given to AIG is the highest government funded payout, and rather than use the money to actually pay for anything legitimate, they give it out in the form of bonuses to their top executives? How ballsy is that!?
These people should be forcibly removed from their positions if they refuse to resign honorably. Not only have they squandered billions of their investor's funds over the years, now they are literally torching the billions of dollars given to them from the backs of the average tax-paying citizen! Ludicrous? How about a cause for revolution?
The world is in dire straits, and America is leading the plunge. I applaud Obama for his statement regarding the issue: "I mean, how do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?"
It's ridiculous that our tax dollars are paying for these guys to have yachts, drive 100k vehicles, and live in multi-million dollar mansions. As if their salaries aren't enough, now they are being rewarded for making bad decisions. When you were in school and you did something stupid as a result of bad judgement, you served detention. You weren't rewarded for your stupidity.
Obama's got about 2 years to see if he can't turn things around. But if people don't start seeing some sort of change by late 2010/early 2011, I'm beginning to think that things in the U.S. are going to get really, really ugly.
So as I sit here listening to Telephone Call from Istanbul, I have to wonder: is revolution just around the corner? Or is America on the fast-track to becoming a medieval fiefdom, where the middle class is completely erased and there are only two classes: the rich and the poor, who work the land just like the serfs of old.
Tom Waits and politics. If that's not a strange brew for your afternoon fix, I don't know what is!
"Obviously, maybe they ought to be removed. But I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide."
I have to say, I agree with the sentiment. And I'm sure most Americans would agree. Hell, any sane individual, regardless of what country they come from, would agree. The bailout money given to AIG is the highest government funded payout, and rather than use the money to actually pay for anything legitimate, they give it out in the form of bonuses to their top executives? How ballsy is that!?
These people should be forcibly removed from their positions if they refuse to resign honorably. Not only have they squandered billions of their investor's funds over the years, now they are literally torching the billions of dollars given to them from the backs of the average tax-paying citizen! Ludicrous? How about a cause for revolution?
The world is in dire straits, and America is leading the plunge. I applaud Obama for his statement regarding the issue: "I mean, how do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?"
It's ridiculous that our tax dollars are paying for these guys to have yachts, drive 100k vehicles, and live in multi-million dollar mansions. As if their salaries aren't enough, now they are being rewarded for making bad decisions. When you were in school and you did something stupid as a result of bad judgement, you served detention. You weren't rewarded for your stupidity.
Obama's got about 2 years to see if he can't turn things around. But if people don't start seeing some sort of change by late 2010/early 2011, I'm beginning to think that things in the U.S. are going to get really, really ugly.
So as I sit here listening to Telephone Call from Istanbul, I have to wonder: is revolution just around the corner? Or is America on the fast-track to becoming a medieval fiefdom, where the middle class is completely erased and there are only two classes: the rich and the poor, who work the land just like the serfs of old.
Tom Waits and politics. If that's not a strange brew for your afternoon fix, I don't know what is!
Work work work
Another chapter done today in the novel, which means I'm on track for my end-of-the-month personal deadline. I'm actually at 64k right now, and should hit 70k by the end of the month.
Got an SEO project for the rest of the week, and I'm in talks at the moment for a couple of projects for April doing another game guide as well as updating another. As projects roll in I'll continue to look at what I want to work on and which ones I'll pass on (I'm not a starving artist. I do pass on work, and regularly, if I don't feel like the project will match).
May is going to be an exciting month for me. Academagia is going live in May, which means I'll have official writer and editor credits on a computer game title, and my first short story, Medallions of Lashiva is on sale in the May edition of Flashing Swords Press. That's two rather big milestones for an aspiring writer, and not to toot my own horn but I think I've done an admirable job in the last year and a half of making this a reality despite my lack of formal education or previous experience.
On a side note, I've stopped actively looking for freelance work. I've got several clients who are keeping me with steady part-time work, and I'm going to be splitting my time between novel writing and short story writing. My long-term goal at the moment is to see if I can't do one solid short story per month + 3 chapters of novel work (that's around 25k worth of content per month, on top of the 10-15k worth of freelance work I do), although April may be heavy for me as one of the projects I'm in talks about is estimated to be around 25-30k, which means a pretty heavy writing load for that month.
In any case, I enjoy creative writing far more than freelancing, but I also enjoy money soooo, to that end, I'll keep working 15-20 hours a week on actual "work", and spending the rest of my time focusing on getting this novel done and more short stories completed and making the rounds for eventual sale.
Hope this reading finds things in your life going as splendidly as they are in mine. Cheers!
Got an SEO project for the rest of the week, and I'm in talks at the moment for a couple of projects for April doing another game guide as well as updating another. As projects roll in I'll continue to look at what I want to work on and which ones I'll pass on (I'm not a starving artist. I do pass on work, and regularly, if I don't feel like the project will match).
May is going to be an exciting month for me. Academagia is going live in May, which means I'll have official writer and editor credits on a computer game title, and my first short story, Medallions of Lashiva is on sale in the May edition of Flashing Swords Press. That's two rather big milestones for an aspiring writer, and not to toot my own horn but I think I've done an admirable job in the last year and a half of making this a reality despite my lack of formal education or previous experience.
On a side note, I've stopped actively looking for freelance work. I've got several clients who are keeping me with steady part-time work, and I'm going to be splitting my time between novel writing and short story writing. My long-term goal at the moment is to see if I can't do one solid short story per month + 3 chapters of novel work (that's around 25k worth of content per month, on top of the 10-15k worth of freelance work I do), although April may be heavy for me as one of the projects I'm in talks about is estimated to be around 25-30k, which means a pretty heavy writing load for that month.
In any case, I enjoy creative writing far more than freelancing, but I also enjoy money soooo, to that end, I'll keep working 15-20 hours a week on actual "work", and spending the rest of my time focusing on getting this novel done and more short stories completed and making the rounds for eventual sale.
Hope this reading finds things in your life going as splendidly as they are in mine. Cheers!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Human Evolution: Natural, or Extra-Crispy?
A few weeks ago when I was working out I happened to be watching a show on the Discovery channel on space exploration, and some of the topics discussed on the show made me cringe more than just a little. I consider myself a fairly open-minded individual, but there are limits to what I consider "realistic", and one of the scientists on the show was what I would call over the top.
I had a client last week who needed a series of articles done on human space flight and exploration and I tied this into one of the articles because I felt it was relevant in the sense that it portrays just how far some scientists are willing to go to advance the species.
Outer space is full of dangers, both seen and unseen. Along with the time-of-trip issues that plague most of the conceptual interstellar/intergalactic is that of radiation poisoning. How to get around it? Human beings are somewhat fragile creatures in that regards, and at some point we can't build a ship strong enough to shield them from radiation for such a long period of time. Sure, they can be shielded for short-term trips, but what if we are talking 10+ years?
The idea put forward by the scientist I was watching (and I really wish I had paid attention to his name, but I was in the middle of a sweaty huff-and-puff workout) was gene splicing. Not an uncommon subject, but a controversial one at best. But what this guy was advocating literally made me sick to my stomach. He was going on about how "superior" the cockroach is when compared to human beings as a life-form. They can survive with appendages cut off, they can eat virtually anything, survive in extreme temperatures, but most importantly (to him) is how they are naturally resilient to radiation. His solution: begin experimentation now on splicing cockroach genes with human babies to see if whether or not we can create a super human that is capable of withstanding the temperatures and radiation of space without the need for super-expensive and resource-heavy protective measures.
If any of you follow the show Heroes, this is basically the same concept portrayed in the show. Human genes were experimented with and eventually people with special abilities were the result. While it sounds "cool", it's the side effects that concern me. The number of babies that would be experimented on until they got it right. It's one thing to take a willing test subject into the lab, but quite another to experiment on the unwilling as if they are nothing more than a lab rat, in ever sense of the word.
I know that eventually we will head down such a road, scientifically, I just hope that the research is headed by a level-headed scientist and not a scientific zealot whose only passion is for the end result. I understand the necessity to create alternative means of survival in the face of our rapidly dwindling natural resources, but it's a frightening topic nonetheless.
How do you like your babies? Natural, or extra-crispy?
I had a client last week who needed a series of articles done on human space flight and exploration and I tied this into one of the articles because I felt it was relevant in the sense that it portrays just how far some scientists are willing to go to advance the species.
Outer space is full of dangers, both seen and unseen. Along with the time-of-trip issues that plague most of the conceptual interstellar/intergalactic is that of radiation poisoning. How to get around it? Human beings are somewhat fragile creatures in that regards, and at some point we can't build a ship strong enough to shield them from radiation for such a long period of time. Sure, they can be shielded for short-term trips, but what if we are talking 10+ years?
The idea put forward by the scientist I was watching (and I really wish I had paid attention to his name, but I was in the middle of a sweaty huff-and-puff workout) was gene splicing. Not an uncommon subject, but a controversial one at best. But what this guy was advocating literally made me sick to my stomach. He was going on about how "superior" the cockroach is when compared to human beings as a life-form. They can survive with appendages cut off, they can eat virtually anything, survive in extreme temperatures, but most importantly (to him) is how they are naturally resilient to radiation. His solution: begin experimentation now on splicing cockroach genes with human babies to see if whether or not we can create a super human that is capable of withstanding the temperatures and radiation of space without the need for super-expensive and resource-heavy protective measures.
If any of you follow the show Heroes, this is basically the same concept portrayed in the show. Human genes were experimented with and eventually people with special abilities were the result. While it sounds "cool", it's the side effects that concern me. The number of babies that would be experimented on until they got it right. It's one thing to take a willing test subject into the lab, but quite another to experiment on the unwilling as if they are nothing more than a lab rat, in ever sense of the word.
I know that eventually we will head down such a road, scientifically, I just hope that the research is headed by a level-headed scientist and not a scientific zealot whose only passion is for the end result. I understand the necessity to create alternative means of survival in the face of our rapidly dwindling natural resources, but it's a frightening topic nonetheless.
How do you like your babies? Natural, or extra-crispy?
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Lazy
Need I say more?
Woke up at 9. Made sausages and spiced scrambled eggs topped with cheddar and sour cream, with coffee. So far my morning has consisted of horking down food and then laying in bed watching episodes of the new Clone Wars animated Star Wars show.
grrhgghzzzzzhhhh....snore
Nothing like a lazy Saturday!
Woke up at 9. Made sausages and spiced scrambled eggs topped with cheddar and sour cream, with coffee. So far my morning has consisted of horking down food and then laying in bed watching episodes of the new Clone Wars animated Star Wars show.
grrhgghzzzzzhhhh....snore
Nothing like a lazy Saturday!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Friday the 13th
Me timbers are shivered.
Not really, but still, many people associate Friday the 13ths with either extremely good or extremely bad luck. Did you know that an estimated 17-21 million people have a fear of this day? According to the Wiki info on Friday the 13th, some people are so paralyzed by fear that something bad will happen to them that they will cancel flights, avoid driving, and in extreme cases, refuse to even get out of bed!
I'm not a very superstitious person. In fact, I'm fairly cynical about such things. Believe me, it drives my wife nuts because I will quite often make comments regarding tradition as superstition, which when you break it down is really nothing more than a belief based upon fear, rather than reason, logic, or knowledge. There are things people do here (in Eastern Europe) that I would personally term as superstition. I don't talk about these things in public, because while I am a somewhat blunt individual, I'm not callous or mean-spirited enough to tell someone to their face that what they are doing is sheer idiocy, because at the end of the day it's simply my opinion. Still, when I see people refusing to get out of bed because they are afraid the significance of the date bodes an untimely demise for them, or someone smearing goat urine on their lips to ward off evil spirits, or someone walking three times counter-clockwise around a church on a specific day of the year while holding candles because it will bring them good luck for the rest of the year...well, to each his own, I suppose.
But I still reserve the right to comment on it in my own personal time :)
Not really, but still, many people associate Friday the 13ths with either extremely good or extremely bad luck. Did you know that an estimated 17-21 million people have a fear of this day? According to the Wiki info on Friday the 13th, some people are so paralyzed by fear that something bad will happen to them that they will cancel flights, avoid driving, and in extreme cases, refuse to even get out of bed!
I'm not a very superstitious person. In fact, I'm fairly cynical about such things. Believe me, it drives my wife nuts because I will quite often make comments regarding tradition as superstition, which when you break it down is really nothing more than a belief based upon fear, rather than reason, logic, or knowledge. There are things people do here (in Eastern Europe) that I would personally term as superstition. I don't talk about these things in public, because while I am a somewhat blunt individual, I'm not callous or mean-spirited enough to tell someone to their face that what they are doing is sheer idiocy, because at the end of the day it's simply my opinion. Still, when I see people refusing to get out of bed because they are afraid the significance of the date bodes an untimely demise for them, or someone smearing goat urine on their lips to ward off evil spirits, or someone walking three times counter-clockwise around a church on a specific day of the year while holding candles because it will bring them good luck for the rest of the year...well, to each his own, I suppose.
But I still reserve the right to comment on it in my own personal time :)
Random blurb
Chapter work done for the day. I just finished the last 3k words of this particular chapter and will be moving onto the next tomorrow. I actually have about half of the next chapter finished from a previous session (generally I write chapters in order, but occasionally I'll have an idea for a sequence from the outline and I'll go work on it and put it away for later), so I just need to revise a couple of segments and then finish it off over the weekend. Then I have the rest of the month to see what else I can get done.
I'm hoping to be done around Septemberish, then give myself a couple of months to do editing and revisions, have some friends read it, and possibly have it professionaly edited. Then I'll start shopping for an agent around the end of 2009 or early 2010, as well as moving onto book 2.
As a long-time hopeful, I've spent a lot of time watching the careers of others, and how they handled it. Most writers spend 3-5 years before they can graduate to full-time novel writing. Writing a novel takes time, and especially for your first one you aren't always 100% sure of how the process works. It's like with any job. The more you do it, the better you become, the faster you can do it. A full time novelist can put out a 200k novel in 6 months, or several 80-100k novels in a year, but it takes time to build up a reputation to be able to make enough from your novel sales to write full time. I fully expect to spend the next 3 years or so working freelance part time and working on novel writing part time. I don't expect my first novel to "rock the world" by any means. I may get lucky, and that would be great, but I'll be happy with moderate success.
It also depends on what you want to write. My grandmother knows a lady who writes what I consider /gag novels...that is, romance. But she churns out 3 to 4 of those things a year and you know what's really disturbing? She's making 80-90k a year writing those damn things. Nothing like talking about a throbbing member to generate cash!
Maybe I should start writing porn as well :)
That's my thought for the day. It's 1:30 and I have the rest of the afternoon off. Peanut butter jelly time!
I'm hoping to be done around Septemberish, then give myself a couple of months to do editing and revisions, have some friends read it, and possibly have it professionaly edited. Then I'll start shopping for an agent around the end of 2009 or early 2010, as well as moving onto book 2.
As a long-time hopeful, I've spent a lot of time watching the careers of others, and how they handled it. Most writers spend 3-5 years before they can graduate to full-time novel writing. Writing a novel takes time, and especially for your first one you aren't always 100% sure of how the process works. It's like with any job. The more you do it, the better you become, the faster you can do it. A full time novelist can put out a 200k novel in 6 months, or several 80-100k novels in a year, but it takes time to build up a reputation to be able to make enough from your novel sales to write full time. I fully expect to spend the next 3 years or so working freelance part time and working on novel writing part time. I don't expect my first novel to "rock the world" by any means. I may get lucky, and that would be great, but I'll be happy with moderate success.
It also depends on what you want to write. My grandmother knows a lady who writes what I consider /gag novels...that is, romance. But she churns out 3 to 4 of those things a year and you know what's really disturbing? She's making 80-90k a year writing those damn things. Nothing like talking about a throbbing member to generate cash!
Maybe I should start writing porn as well :)
That's my thought for the day. It's 1:30 and I have the rest of the afternoon off. Peanut butter jelly time!
Milestones
Today is the 13th of March. It's the middle of the month, and like it or not, April is just around the corner. Oh, the spring list that is about to be unfurled! House cleaning (unless you've already started), gardening projects, BBQs, camping trips, fishing trips, vacations, explorations, and all of the things that come about when the sun starts actually warming the bones.
Me, I'm stuck inside this spring. Not that I begrudge the fact. But I've got a milestone to meet, which means my days are spent inside at the computer, writing. Which also means I need to get the AC unit for the living room repaired before the weather starts heating up.
I've got a lot of personal projects going on this summer. Along with the novel (everyone has to have one, right?), I've got 3 short stories planned, as well as 3 that are in circulation looking for a home. I've got 2 others that are (still) half-finished (they've been sitting for 4 months since I started getting busy with freelance work), and lots of outline work to do on the novel. This series will be 4-5 books, depending on the deal I can sign when I get to that point. I've got most of the outline done, and I should be clearing the 80k words mark by the end of March, which signifies the half-way point. I'm shooting for 160-180k. The outline calls for 180k, but I may cut a couple of chapters out, or I may extend it beyond that.
Most authors do 1-2k per day of writing in their novel. I don't always hit that marker. Some days I only get 500 words down, while others days I'll sit down and get a good 3k words in. I've had one week where I completed 2 chapters (around 13k worth of content) in 4 days, and other times when I've been lucky to get 2 chapters done in a month. I started the actual planning for this a few years ago, but didn't start writing it until November of 2008. I've basically done around 12-15k worth of content per months since then, which isn't as much as a full-time novelist, but then again I'm only working on this part-time at present. The rest of my time is spent freelancing and working on short stories so I can build up my resume before I get to the agent-shopping stage.
Being self employed has its downfalls. It's easy to fall into a routine of laziness. It took me almost 15 months to get over automatically waking up at 6 a.m. after 15 years of waking up at 5:30 and being in the truck by 6 to be at the job-site between 7 or 8. Now I generally wake up around 8 if I don't use an alarm. I spend an hour checking e-mails and waking up, then I do my workout and take a shower, which takes about an hour. After that it's breakfast, and I make blog posts and do a quick browse of the job boards and generally start work around 11 a.m. From then, I usually work until 2 or 3 p.m., dependant. Then I spend 1-2 hours submitting job query e-mails/searching the various boards for work-related postings, and then I work on my pet projects for 2-3 hours until Evy gets home from work/school.
But there are those days when you just want to lay in bed. After all, there isn't a boss screaming at you to be in your cubicle by 8 a.m., and there generally isn't a world-ending event that requires you to leap out of bed and scramble for your clothing in an effort to beat rush-hour traffic. It's hard to avoid those kind of days, but everyone enjoys them from time to time.
I think I'm going to take one tomorrow :) I'll pass the 70k words mark today in my novel, which means I only have 2 more chapters to do over the next 2 weeks until the end of the month, and I don't have any pressing deadlines atm, so it looks like smooth sailing for personal projects this month.
Me, I'm stuck inside this spring. Not that I begrudge the fact. But I've got a milestone to meet, which means my days are spent inside at the computer, writing. Which also means I need to get the AC unit for the living room repaired before the weather starts heating up.
I've got a lot of personal projects going on this summer. Along with the novel (everyone has to have one, right?), I've got 3 short stories planned, as well as 3 that are in circulation looking for a home. I've got 2 others that are (still) half-finished (they've been sitting for 4 months since I started getting busy with freelance work), and lots of outline work to do on the novel. This series will be 4-5 books, depending on the deal I can sign when I get to that point. I've got most of the outline done, and I should be clearing the 80k words mark by the end of March, which signifies the half-way point. I'm shooting for 160-180k. The outline calls for 180k, but I may cut a couple of chapters out, or I may extend it beyond that.
Most authors do 1-2k per day of writing in their novel. I don't always hit that marker. Some days I only get 500 words down, while others days I'll sit down and get a good 3k words in. I've had one week where I completed 2 chapters (around 13k worth of content) in 4 days, and other times when I've been lucky to get 2 chapters done in a month. I started the actual planning for this a few years ago, but didn't start writing it until November of 2008. I've basically done around 12-15k worth of content per months since then, which isn't as much as a full-time novelist, but then again I'm only working on this part-time at present. The rest of my time is spent freelancing and working on short stories so I can build up my resume before I get to the agent-shopping stage.
Being self employed has its downfalls. It's easy to fall into a routine of laziness. It took me almost 15 months to get over automatically waking up at 6 a.m. after 15 years of waking up at 5:30 and being in the truck by 6 to be at the job-site between 7 or 8. Now I generally wake up around 8 if I don't use an alarm. I spend an hour checking e-mails and waking up, then I do my workout and take a shower, which takes about an hour. After that it's breakfast, and I make blog posts and do a quick browse of the job boards and generally start work around 11 a.m. From then, I usually work until 2 or 3 p.m., dependant. Then I spend 1-2 hours submitting job query e-mails/searching the various boards for work-related postings, and then I work on my pet projects for 2-3 hours until Evy gets home from work/school.
But there are those days when you just want to lay in bed. After all, there isn't a boss screaming at you to be in your cubicle by 8 a.m., and there generally isn't a world-ending event that requires you to leap out of bed and scramble for your clothing in an effort to beat rush-hour traffic. It's hard to avoid those kind of days, but everyone enjoys them from time to time.
I think I'm going to take one tomorrow :) I'll pass the 70k words mark today in my novel, which means I only have 2 more chapters to do over the next 2 weeks until the end of the month, and I don't have any pressing deadlines atm, so it looks like smooth sailing for personal projects this month.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Ballet
Tonight was supposed to be Sleeping Beauty, but we found out a couple of weeks ago when we purchased our tickets that the venue had changed to Giselle. It was on their website and they told us when we purchased our tickets.
Apparently either half of the audience doesn't have Internet or they just didn't pay attention when they purchased their tickets, because as people started trickling in there was a horde of customers complaining as they realized it wasn't going to be Sleeping Beauty. Then there was a rush to get their money back for tickets they didn't want to use, and as a result, the opera house was only half-full this evening.
A pity, really. The performers put on one hell of a show, as they always do. This is one hobby that I'm glad I let my wife convince me to get into. I always loved theatre back in the States, and participated in and also watched from the crowd since I was a child, age 5, when I starred as Tiny Tim in The Christmas Carol for a college production. Now, I haven't actually done any theatre in about 10 years, but I've always actively gone to shows. But ballet and opera was something I never even considered, until my first show back around Christmas when we saw The Nutcracker. Since then, we've seen several others, with my favorite being Swan's Lake, so far.
Rigoletto is coming up in April or May, I forget, but I'm really looking forward to it. It is an opera, not a ballet, but even so, I can't wait. Don Quixote is next month, I believe, so that's the next ticket on our agenda.
Apparently either half of the audience doesn't have Internet or they just didn't pay attention when they purchased their tickets, because as people started trickling in there was a horde of customers complaining as they realized it wasn't going to be Sleeping Beauty. Then there was a rush to get their money back for tickets they didn't want to use, and as a result, the opera house was only half-full this evening.
A pity, really. The performers put on one hell of a show, as they always do. This is one hobby that I'm glad I let my wife convince me to get into. I always loved theatre back in the States, and participated in and also watched from the crowd since I was a child, age 5, when I starred as Tiny Tim in The Christmas Carol for a college production. Now, I haven't actually done any theatre in about 10 years, but I've always actively gone to shows. But ballet and opera was something I never even considered, until my first show back around Christmas when we saw The Nutcracker. Since then, we've seen several others, with my favorite being Swan's Lake, so far.
Rigoletto is coming up in April or May, I forget, but I'm really looking forward to it. It is an opera, not a ballet, but even so, I can't wait. Don Quixote is next month, I believe, so that's the next ticket on our agenda.
Crafts
My wife recently began to expand her love of craft-related interests with a new-found passion for blogging about it. As we move into 2009 we are working on upgrading our new home with plenty of gardening projects, and she is learning how to knit. Additionally she has been working on creating knick-knacks, such as button brooches and little trinkets for fun and show. You can find her blog linked over on the right, and I urge you to browse for the fun of it, or if you want to learn something new. She is far more photo-opportunistic than I am, and provides detailed photos of her most recent projects.
I've been debating taking up leather working as a side project. The problem is finding the time. I do 3-4 hours of freelance work each day, along with 2-3 hours of personal projects such as my book and short story writing, and when you add in an hour-long workout, cooking and housecleaning (my sister lovingly refers to me as the house-bitch, since I'm the one who takes care of all the house work while my wife is at class and work), I find myself without a lot of free time. Still, I'm debating it, and it's been added to the list of thing I'd like to work on in 2009.
Problem is, that list also includes learning to play the guitar, more ballet and opera venues, travel plans, and light reading. There needs to be more than 24 hours in a day!
I've been debating taking up leather working as a side project. The problem is finding the time. I do 3-4 hours of freelance work each day, along with 2-3 hours of personal projects such as my book and short story writing, and when you add in an hour-long workout, cooking and housecleaning (my sister lovingly refers to me as the house-bitch, since I'm the one who takes care of all the house work while my wife is at class and work), I find myself without a lot of free time. Still, I'm debating it, and it's been added to the list of thing I'd like to work on in 2009.
Problem is, that list also includes learning to play the guitar, more ballet and opera venues, travel plans, and light reading. There needs to be more than 24 hours in a day!
Blogs
For the past couple of years I was using MySpace and Facebook for my social networking needs. Mostly I use them to keep up-to-date with my friends back in the States, as well as family members. But as blogging begins to become more and more important in terms of additional proof to potential clients as to your writing abilities, I decided it was time to graduate to a more "professional" blogging area outside of MySpace/Facebook.
Ok ok, mostly it was my wife pressuring me to make a more "professional" blog. But she's right. It just makes more business sense.
I think the best thing about blogging for yourself (for the pure fun of it) is it allows you to showcase your wide array of interests, as well as give potential clients the chance to see the real you. The you who isn't edited professionally, or sent through Copyscape. This is the you who bleeds onto paper the random thoughts of the day.
I've enjoyed blogging for quite some time, but it's always been for personal reasons. For friends and family. But as I expand my network of clients, I believe that personal blogs are a necessity and not simply for fun...but because they help people see and understand more about you, even if they will never meet you face to face. And that's important for generating trust between clients/clientele.
Ok ok, mostly it was my wife pressuring me to make a more "professional" blog. But she's right. It just makes more business sense.
I think the best thing about blogging for yourself (for the pure fun of it) is it allows you to showcase your wide array of interests, as well as give potential clients the chance to see the real you. The you who isn't edited professionally, or sent through Copyscape. This is the you who bleeds onto paper the random thoughts of the day.
I've enjoyed blogging for quite some time, but it's always been for personal reasons. For friends and family. But as I expand my network of clients, I believe that personal blogs are a necessity and not simply for fun...but because they help people see and understand more about you, even if they will never meet you face to face. And that's important for generating trust between clients/clientele.
The little things
When I lived in the U.S. I never really worried about my carbon footprint. I was your typical American consumerist. I never walked anywhere; I drove. Even if it was only 6 blocks to Village Inn or Wendy's or something...I drove. When I went to the grocery store I never took my own bags...I used the ones the grocery store provides. I didn't worry about energy efficient light-bulbs...I just bought the cheap ones at Wal-Mart/Safeway.
A lot of things have changed since then.
In America, you generally have to pay to have recycling bins put outside of your home. I'm not sure how it is in every European country, but here in Bulgaria the government has--at least in Sofia--made sure that you can't ignore the importance of recycling. There are bins about every 20 meters down the street. It's very simple to simply separate your trash and make sure it goes to the right place.
Consider walking. The biggest problem in America is how spread out everything is. For example, when I lived in Colorado often times the nearest grocery store was a 45 minute to an hour-long walk. That's not very feasible unless you are someone who has a great amount of spare time. But if you can, you should. When my wife first came to the States, she was looked at in awe because she walked from school to the house every day. NOBODY uses the sidewalks (outside of major cities) because everyone is addicted to cars. It was around an hour walk, but she did it twice a day (unless I was home to drive her)
Paper mail. Who needs it? Snail mail is useless, unless you are sending packages. Go paperless. Almost every credit card company these days offers paperless statements, as do banks. Don't waste paper unless you have to.
Going to the grocery store? Take your own bags. I don't recall in the U.S., because I wasn't that interested in it at the time, but I know that here many people take cloth bags to the grocery store with them...giant purses, basically. Or backpacks. Or boxes. But take some form of bag/box with you to the store so you don't waste paper or plastic bags. People might look at you funny, but who cares? When the planet is a crispy wasteland, you can at least crisp happily knowing that you did your best to try and stave off the disaster.
Walk more. Drive less. This is harder than it sounds. Believe me. And it's not always feasible for everyone. But if you live within a 5 or 10 minute drive of your destination, consider walking. Or getting a bicycle. Not only will it save you money, it will help you get in better shape, and your vehicle emissions will be nothing more than panted breath. Or gas, if you had something potent to eat the night before.
Start growing your own herbs and vegetables. You might think you don't have space, but you do. Planting herbs and spices takes up no more space than a window sill in most cases. And you can have things like fresh basil, fresh dill, mint...all without having to pay for a glass/plastic package and wrapper. All you need is the seeds and a pot to plant them in and you can have fresh spices year-round. I particularly like having fresh basil, because I cook a lot, and I use basil frequently.
You might already be doing these things. Or you might be one of those people who think global warming and green thinking is nothing more than a bunch of malarkey. But if you take a moment to look around you, you will begin to understand that the Earth is a fragile planet. We have limited resources, yet our population continues to grow at a rapid pace.
I didn't do any of the above things before we moved. Now I do. And I feel better about it. All of my bills are paperless, so I'm not wasting resources. I take my own bags to the grocery store. It takes no extra time to sort your trash. Simply put a few bags under your sink or wherever you keep your trash and just make a note of whether or not it's paper, plastic, metal or glass when you go to chuck something. Put it in the right bag. When you take the trash out (whatever day it is), put them in the proper places. My wife actually has this funny little ploy...she used to charge me 2 dollars every time I put something in the wrong bag. I learned pretty quick that paper goes in the paper bag, not the organic remains bag, and that an apple core doesn't go in the metal bag, but in the organic remains bag. And I got really addicted to having fresh spices around the house.
Perhaps the most worthwhile change I made when I came here was giving up a vehicle. We live in the city now, so we don't need one. Occasionally we miss the convenience of having one, but we save literally hundreds of dollars every month. No gas, no insurance, no maintenance, no car payment. We take public transportation and walk everywhere. I'm not a very big guy...you can see in my profile picture that I am in pretty decent shape. But when I got here I was absolutely shocked to find that I lost 30 lbs (15 kilos) in the first 6 months I was here simply from eating healthy and walking everywhere. I had never walked anywhere in my life. Other than hiking. The first few weeks I was in hell. My feet had blisters, my calves and thighs were aching. But once I got used to it, I walk everywhere now.
Anyway, that's my morning post. Think about ways to reduce your carbon footprint. They might be little things, but every little step counts.
A lot of things have changed since then.
In America, you generally have to pay to have recycling bins put outside of your home. I'm not sure how it is in every European country, but here in Bulgaria the government has--at least in Sofia--made sure that you can't ignore the importance of recycling. There are bins about every 20 meters down the street. It's very simple to simply separate your trash and make sure it goes to the right place.
Consider walking. The biggest problem in America is how spread out everything is. For example, when I lived in Colorado often times the nearest grocery store was a 45 minute to an hour-long walk. That's not very feasible unless you are someone who has a great amount of spare time. But if you can, you should. When my wife first came to the States, she was looked at in awe because she walked from school to the house every day. NOBODY uses the sidewalks (outside of major cities) because everyone is addicted to cars. It was around an hour walk, but she did it twice a day (unless I was home to drive her)
Paper mail. Who needs it? Snail mail is useless, unless you are sending packages. Go paperless. Almost every credit card company these days offers paperless statements, as do banks. Don't waste paper unless you have to.
Going to the grocery store? Take your own bags. I don't recall in the U.S., because I wasn't that interested in it at the time, but I know that here many people take cloth bags to the grocery store with them...giant purses, basically. Or backpacks. Or boxes. But take some form of bag/box with you to the store so you don't waste paper or plastic bags. People might look at you funny, but who cares? When the planet is a crispy wasteland, you can at least crisp happily knowing that you did your best to try and stave off the disaster.
Walk more. Drive less. This is harder than it sounds. Believe me. And it's not always feasible for everyone. But if you live within a 5 or 10 minute drive of your destination, consider walking. Or getting a bicycle. Not only will it save you money, it will help you get in better shape, and your vehicle emissions will be nothing more than panted breath. Or gas, if you had something potent to eat the night before.
Start growing your own herbs and vegetables. You might think you don't have space, but you do. Planting herbs and spices takes up no more space than a window sill in most cases. And you can have things like fresh basil, fresh dill, mint...all without having to pay for a glass/plastic package and wrapper. All you need is the seeds and a pot to plant them in and you can have fresh spices year-round. I particularly like having fresh basil, because I cook a lot, and I use basil frequently.
You might already be doing these things. Or you might be one of those people who think global warming and green thinking is nothing more than a bunch of malarkey. But if you take a moment to look around you, you will begin to understand that the Earth is a fragile planet. We have limited resources, yet our population continues to grow at a rapid pace.
I didn't do any of the above things before we moved. Now I do. And I feel better about it. All of my bills are paperless, so I'm not wasting resources. I take my own bags to the grocery store. It takes no extra time to sort your trash. Simply put a few bags under your sink or wherever you keep your trash and just make a note of whether or not it's paper, plastic, metal or glass when you go to chuck something. Put it in the right bag. When you take the trash out (whatever day it is), put them in the proper places. My wife actually has this funny little ploy...she used to charge me 2 dollars every time I put something in the wrong bag. I learned pretty quick that paper goes in the paper bag, not the organic remains bag, and that an apple core doesn't go in the metal bag, but in the organic remains bag. And I got really addicted to having fresh spices around the house.
Perhaps the most worthwhile change I made when I came here was giving up a vehicle. We live in the city now, so we don't need one. Occasionally we miss the convenience of having one, but we save literally hundreds of dollars every month. No gas, no insurance, no maintenance, no car payment. We take public transportation and walk everywhere. I'm not a very big guy...you can see in my profile picture that I am in pretty decent shape. But when I got here I was absolutely shocked to find that I lost 30 lbs (15 kilos) in the first 6 months I was here simply from eating healthy and walking everywhere. I had never walked anywhere in my life. Other than hiking. The first few weeks I was in hell. My feet had blisters, my calves and thighs were aching. But once I got used to it, I walk everywhere now.
Anyway, that's my morning post. Think about ways to reduce your carbon footprint. They might be little things, but every little step counts.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
New Books
It's been awhile since I've done any avid reading. Last year saw my time consumed with settling into a new home, dealing with culture shock (a year later I still don't speak the language on a conversational level. The curse of working from home and having a wife who is fluent in English combined with most places having English speaking employees, and all of our friends/people my age speak English), and scrambling to get started in a new career. Now that I have steady work (at least on a part-time basis) I actually have time to dedicate to reading again, which is something I really need to keep working on as I continue to evolve as a fiction writer.
Prior to our move I had roughly one thousand books in my library. Around 200 of those are still in boxes at my sister's house due to shipping costs being outrageous. The rest of them I sold on Ebay, and I donated about 200 to the local library two days before our flight out.
In any case, one of the authors I'm becoming interested in is Brandon Sanderson, the author who was picked last year to finish the final Wheel of Time novel. I've been spending a lot of time on his website (http://www.brandonsanderson.com/) and reading his sample chapters. He is relatively new to the industry, with only a handful of publications under his belt, but from what I can see his writing style is very involving, and is helping him build a solid reputation. I'm thinking about ordering his Mistborn trilogy to see how it reads, because the sample chapters he has up are incredibly fun.
The last book I read was the latest George R. R. Martin book in the Song of Ice and Fire series. Feast of Crows, I think it was, off the top of my head. And that was before our move! I did re-read the Liveship Trader series by Robin Hobb around Christmas, but our apartment is somewhat devoid of books since we couldn't afford to ship it at the time, and still haven't been able to afford to ship what we have left (5 boxes of stuff, mostly DVD box sets, the rest of my books, some collectible stuff, and household things like a pumpkin/Halloween candle set my mom got my wife).
In any case...that's my late-night update.
Prior to our move I had roughly one thousand books in my library. Around 200 of those are still in boxes at my sister's house due to shipping costs being outrageous. The rest of them I sold on Ebay, and I donated about 200 to the local library two days before our flight out.
In any case, one of the authors I'm becoming interested in is Brandon Sanderson, the author who was picked last year to finish the final Wheel of Time novel. I've been spending a lot of time on his website (http://www.brandonsanderson.com/) and reading his sample chapters. He is relatively new to the industry, with only a handful of publications under his belt, but from what I can see his writing style is very involving, and is helping him build a solid reputation. I'm thinking about ordering his Mistborn trilogy to see how it reads, because the sample chapters he has up are incredibly fun.
The last book I read was the latest George R. R. Martin book in the Song of Ice and Fire series. Feast of Crows, I think it was, off the top of my head. And that was before our move! I did re-read the Liveship Trader series by Robin Hobb around Christmas, but our apartment is somewhat devoid of books since we couldn't afford to ship it at the time, and still haven't been able to afford to ship what we have left (5 boxes of stuff, mostly DVD box sets, the rest of my books, some collectible stuff, and household things like a pumpkin/Halloween candle set my mom got my wife).
In any case...that's my late-night update.
Education in America
Something that has always bugged me about the U.S. is the relatively low standard of education across the board. Coupled with the dramatically rising cost of a secondary education tied into the recession woes, people just can't afford a college degree.
In recent years I have joked on various forums that most American students can hardly read and write their native language upon graduation, much less point out any relevant places on the map. The "no child left behind" policy has really hampered the intelligence level of kids graduating high school. The old saying "there is no such thing as a bad student; only bad teachers" is somewhat true, and in a system where education is undervalued and students graduate "simply because", is bogus.
On top of all that is the ridiculously low wages teachers have been paid. I really liked Obama's recent discussion (found here) on extra pay for top teachers. There should be some incentive for teachers who go above and beyond. Furthermore, I fully support the idea of students going to school for an additional month. The most relevant part of the clip was the quote at the end, when Obama says, "In a 21st century world where jobs can be shipped wherever there's an Internet connection, where a child born in Dallas is competing with children in Delhi ... education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite."
People need to understand that the world is no longer as small as the borders of your country. With the advent of the Internet, anyone from any place on the globe can easily fill a position with a company as long as they have the relevant education. If someone in India has a better set of skills for the job than an American who lives in the town where the company is hiring, it would be in the company's best interests to hire the person with the better set of skills. And the only thing holding Americans back right now is the lackadaisical education system. There is a reason over half the population has only graduated from high-school, and half of the people who go to college end up dropping out. It isn't simply the high cost of school. It's that the course work is simply "too hard" because they were never taught the appropriate course work while they were kids.
In recent years I have joked on various forums that most American students can hardly read and write their native language upon graduation, much less point out any relevant places on the map. The "no child left behind" policy has really hampered the intelligence level of kids graduating high school. The old saying "there is no such thing as a bad student; only bad teachers" is somewhat true, and in a system where education is undervalued and students graduate "simply because", is bogus.
On top of all that is the ridiculously low wages teachers have been paid. I really liked Obama's recent discussion (found here) on extra pay for top teachers. There should be some incentive for teachers who go above and beyond. Furthermore, I fully support the idea of students going to school for an additional month. The most relevant part of the clip was the quote at the end, when Obama says, "In a 21st century world where jobs can be shipped wherever there's an Internet connection, where a child born in Dallas is competing with children in Delhi ... education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite."
People need to understand that the world is no longer as small as the borders of your country. With the advent of the Internet, anyone from any place on the globe can easily fill a position with a company as long as they have the relevant education. If someone in India has a better set of skills for the job than an American who lives in the town where the company is hiring, it would be in the company's best interests to hire the person with the better set of skills. And the only thing holding Americans back right now is the lackadaisical education system. There is a reason over half the population has only graduated from high-school, and half of the people who go to college end up dropping out. It isn't simply the high cost of school. It's that the course work is simply "too hard" because they were never taught the appropriate course work while they were kids.
Recession: A Tale of Migration
One of my recent projects for a client dealt with immigration news for a variety of countries, as well as covering the migrant visa programs for each country and the hoops that people jump through to move to a new place. Having no small amount of personal experience in the matter with our international move in 2008 from the U.S. to Bulgaria, I was actually more than a little shocked at the numbers I was seeing when I actually delved into it from a research standpoint.
The U.S. and the U.K. are leading the pack in terms of skyrocketing unemployment rates. The U.S. alone has seen more than 2 million people lose their jobs in the months of January and February, and things are expected to get worse before they get better. Unemployment numbers in 2008 are expected to double--if not triple--in 2009. But there are countries out there who are experiencing actual steady employment rates and somewhat stable economies.
Australia is one of those countries. I knew little about Australia prior to the projects I worked on in February, which included travel information for the Territories, as well as immigration overviews. What struck me as somewhat shocking was the number of immigrants coming out of the U.K. and moving to Australia. There was literally a 32% increase in immigrants to Australia from the U.K. in 2008, based upon 2007's numbers, and they are expecting to see an even more drastic increase in that percentage in 2009.
The reasons why are multi-fold. Firstly, the rising cost of living in the U.K. is a leading factor. By comparison, the cost of living in Australia is anywhere from 30% to 50% cheaper than in the U.K., but wages are roughly the same. The average Australian makes a median wage of just over 40k USD a year. In the U.K. jobs are not only scarce, but the competition for jobs that pay a salary high enough to cover the rising cost of living is fierce at best, meaning that most people--even if they are lucky enough to find a job--aren't working a job that pays enough to cover the cost of living. With unemployment rates relatively stable in Australia, not only are there more jobs to be had, the competition is relatively low. Combined with these elements is the fact that Australia has basically opened its doors to immigrants, making sweeping changes to its migrant systems in an effort to bring in a flood of skilled workers to help keep their economy stable. When you look at the overall picture, it only makes sense that people are starting to relocate with alarming speed.
Canada is in a somewhat similar situation, with major changes being made to their migrant programs in an effort to bring more people into their economy. While not as bad off as others, Canada is just now beginning to feel the pinch of the global crisis but even so they are looking for skilled workers and doing all they can to fast-track people into the country to fill up the job slots.
I consider myself lucky to have gotten out of the U.S. when we did. We left in January of 2008, which was right when things started to go from bad to worse. 2007 was a really bad year for us in terms of finances; it was the first year since I was a teenager that I actually had to budget money for groceries and other living expenses. We don't have kids, and we have talked often about how hard it must be for people living in such conditions who have children to think about as well. Some of the people we play MMORPGs with are being hit just as hard; in California in 2008 we knew a couple who had 2 kids, and around March or April of last year she was talking in the forums about how they had to make a choice to put gas in the car to get hubby to work, pay the electric bill, or take one of their sick children to the doctor. Making those kind of choices should never be part of your daily routines, and it just goes to show how bad things have gotten. These are people who have held the same jobs for the past 10+ years, and up until 2007/2008 were making more than enough money to live comfortably between their shared income, as well as provide those extras for the kids...X-box, games, computers, etc., but with the cost of living skyrocketing yet wages remaining the same, it creates an impossible situation where you begin to find yourself choosing which bills to pay and which ones to be late on.
We are extremely lucky to be where we are. Yes, we don't make a lot of income at the moment, but we also have an apartment that's paid for in-full. We have no rent or mortgage, and our only bills are living expenses such as utilities, groceries, Internet/cable, cell-phones, and entertainment. But what makes me think about how bad it is out there beyond the walls of my apartment is the numbers I saw when doing my research. People are leaving their homes, their countries of origin, in vast droves, all because the grass is truly greener on the other side of the fence. And while an international move might not be the solution for every person/family out there, for a lot of them...it is.
The U.S. and the U.K. are leading the pack in terms of skyrocketing unemployment rates. The U.S. alone has seen more than 2 million people lose their jobs in the months of January and February, and things are expected to get worse before they get better. Unemployment numbers in 2008 are expected to double--if not triple--in 2009. But there are countries out there who are experiencing actual steady employment rates and somewhat stable economies.
Australia is one of those countries. I knew little about Australia prior to the projects I worked on in February, which included travel information for the Territories, as well as immigration overviews. What struck me as somewhat shocking was the number of immigrants coming out of the U.K. and moving to Australia. There was literally a 32% increase in immigrants to Australia from the U.K. in 2008, based upon 2007's numbers, and they are expecting to see an even more drastic increase in that percentage in 2009.
The reasons why are multi-fold. Firstly, the rising cost of living in the U.K. is a leading factor. By comparison, the cost of living in Australia is anywhere from 30% to 50% cheaper than in the U.K., but wages are roughly the same. The average Australian makes a median wage of just over 40k USD a year. In the U.K. jobs are not only scarce, but the competition for jobs that pay a salary high enough to cover the rising cost of living is fierce at best, meaning that most people--even if they are lucky enough to find a job--aren't working a job that pays enough to cover the cost of living. With unemployment rates relatively stable in Australia, not only are there more jobs to be had, the competition is relatively low. Combined with these elements is the fact that Australia has basically opened its doors to immigrants, making sweeping changes to its migrant systems in an effort to bring in a flood of skilled workers to help keep their economy stable. When you look at the overall picture, it only makes sense that people are starting to relocate with alarming speed.
Canada is in a somewhat similar situation, with major changes being made to their migrant programs in an effort to bring more people into their economy. While not as bad off as others, Canada is just now beginning to feel the pinch of the global crisis but even so they are looking for skilled workers and doing all they can to fast-track people into the country to fill up the job slots.
I consider myself lucky to have gotten out of the U.S. when we did. We left in January of 2008, which was right when things started to go from bad to worse. 2007 was a really bad year for us in terms of finances; it was the first year since I was a teenager that I actually had to budget money for groceries and other living expenses. We don't have kids, and we have talked often about how hard it must be for people living in such conditions who have children to think about as well. Some of the people we play MMORPGs with are being hit just as hard; in California in 2008 we knew a couple who had 2 kids, and around March or April of last year she was talking in the forums about how they had to make a choice to put gas in the car to get hubby to work, pay the electric bill, or take one of their sick children to the doctor. Making those kind of choices should never be part of your daily routines, and it just goes to show how bad things have gotten. These are people who have held the same jobs for the past 10+ years, and up until 2007/2008 were making more than enough money to live comfortably between their shared income, as well as provide those extras for the kids...X-box, games, computers, etc., but with the cost of living skyrocketing yet wages remaining the same, it creates an impossible situation where you begin to find yourself choosing which bills to pay and which ones to be late on.
We are extremely lucky to be where we are. Yes, we don't make a lot of income at the moment, but we also have an apartment that's paid for in-full. We have no rent or mortgage, and our only bills are living expenses such as utilities, groceries, Internet/cable, cell-phones, and entertainment. But what makes me think about how bad it is out there beyond the walls of my apartment is the numbers I saw when doing my research. People are leaving their homes, their countries of origin, in vast droves, all because the grass is truly greener on the other side of the fence. And while an international move might not be the solution for every person/family out there, for a lot of them...it is.
Bulgarian Wines
For the wine lovers out there I thought I would take the time to divulge some of the better wines of Bulgaria.
I am a wine enthusiast. I wouldn't go so far as to say "professional", by any means. No, I simply enjoy the soothing chorus of flavors washing over my tongue, from the chocolate and pepper spiciness of a good Shiraz, to the bite of a particularly dry Cabernet (one of my favorite "cheese" wines when I'm munching on a good chunk of something).
Today I'll focus on one of the more common, but not that well-known outside of the country: Mavrud.
Mavrud is a red wine unique to Bulgaria. It comes from the Thrace region, which is one of the prime vineyard locations in this country. It is a crystal clear red wine, both brisk and refreshing with a beautiful sparkle. The aroma is clear and enduring. The taste combines that of grapes with a nuance of forest fruits. I myself enjoy the darker fruits.
Mavrud is one of the "sweeter" wines. It does not contain the dry bite of a Cabernet. If I had to compare it, I'd say it could be compared to a really high-quality Merlot. The grape and berry flavors are very full.
This is not one of my particular favorites, but it is a good wine nonetheless. I generally enjoy the dry, spicy wines (Cabernet, Shiraz, Chianti, Syrah, etc.) rather than the berrylicious ones, but I've been known to enjoy a good Bordeaux from time to time. Evy brought back a bottle of Bordeaux with some Prima Donna a few months ago when she went to Paris with her mom, and I was in heaven for a few hours!
That's it for this installment. There will be more, as Bulgaria is definitely a wine country, and as a recent addition to the EU is only just beginning to unveil its secrets to the rest of the world.
I am a wine enthusiast. I wouldn't go so far as to say "professional", by any means. No, I simply enjoy the soothing chorus of flavors washing over my tongue, from the chocolate and pepper spiciness of a good Shiraz, to the bite of a particularly dry Cabernet (one of my favorite "cheese" wines when I'm munching on a good chunk of something).
Today I'll focus on one of the more common, but not that well-known outside of the country: Mavrud.
Mavrud is a red wine unique to Bulgaria. It comes from the Thrace region, which is one of the prime vineyard locations in this country. It is a crystal clear red wine, both brisk and refreshing with a beautiful sparkle. The aroma is clear and enduring. The taste combines that of grapes with a nuance of forest fruits. I myself enjoy the darker fruits.
Mavrud is one of the "sweeter" wines. It does not contain the dry bite of a Cabernet. If I had to compare it, I'd say it could be compared to a really high-quality Merlot. The grape and berry flavors are very full.
This is not one of my particular favorites, but it is a good wine nonetheless. I generally enjoy the dry, spicy wines (Cabernet, Shiraz, Chianti, Syrah, etc.) rather than the berrylicious ones, but I've been known to enjoy a good Bordeaux from time to time. Evy brought back a bottle of Bordeaux with some Prima Donna a few months ago when she went to Paris with her mom, and I was in heaven for a few hours!
That's it for this installment. There will be more, as Bulgaria is definitely a wine country, and as a recent addition to the EU is only just beginning to unveil its secrets to the rest of the world.
Does money = happiness?
In my experience the answer is a firm "no".
Prior to becoming a freelance writer I owned and operated a ceramic tile and natural stone installation company in Colorado along the Front Range. As a third generation contractor I grew up in the industry. A large portion of my dad's side of the family is involved, including 2 of his brothers, his dad, and one of my cousins up until a couple of years ago when he quit to start a custom car shop with some friends. And prior to the recession and illegal immigration issues it was a lucrative trade. My dad's company specialized in commercial applications (malls, airports, Wal-Mart stores, Safeway stores, hospitals, condo projects...you name it) as well as large-scale multi-million dollar custom homes. I myself settled into a niche doing smaller custom homes (200-500k range) and spec homes, and was making a pretty reliable and comfortable 60-65k a year working only about 6 months out of the year. The rest of the time I spent traveling in Europe. For quite a few years it went along smoothly.
Then came 2006-2007. Immigration started to become an issue for blue-collar workers, even specialized tradesmen like myself. Where I had previously been making upwards of 500 dollars a day, I suddenly found myself lucky to be making 300 dollars a day as I had to work more hours for less per-square-foot wages to stay competitive. I was literally laughed out of several meetings with potential clients when my rates proved to be 50-70% more expensive than the immigrant workers who were willing to do the job for pennies. And with the recession starting to become an issue, people were no longer interested in quality above quantity...they were worried about being able to pay the bills, which meant specialized services were no longer required. I began to spend more and more of my time shopping for the next job, and less time actually working.
On top of that, I developed chronic acute tendinitis in my left wrist. At one point it had swollen up to the size of a softball and I was unable to use my left hand for nearly a week. My knees were holding up just fine, but I had also developed a ganglion cyst in my left ankle that was driving me bonkers...and the hours were getting ridiculous. During the 2007 year I couldn't find work to save my life in the Front Range area, and ended up having to travel 4 hours up the mountain to Steamboat Springs to even find work. I spent January to October working up the mountain, leaving on Monday mornings at 5 a.m. to get up there by 9 a.m., and then working four 10-12 hour days before driving back down the mountain on Thursday nights so I could spend a couple of days with my wife each week. The gas and hotel costs alone were out the roof, and by October I had only managed to gross 38k for the year, which was barely enough to pay for our living expenses plus her school payments.
Then in November I lost a contract that I had been working on for 18 months. It's along story, but basically I was told two days before I was scheduled to start the project that the owners had decided to go with someone else. This was after 18 months of working hand-in-hand with them, helping to design and coordinate the project, and consulting. I had a bid of 70k for 6-8 weeks of work, using 3 of the highest qualified installers in the Colorado industry...guys who have--like myself--over 15 years in the industry specializing in high-end custom homes. Then at the last moment I got a phone call saying "well this crew over here said they'd do it in 3 weeks for 25k".
I did my research and found out that the "crew" was all immigrants (legal or not, I didn't delve that deep), and they had a crew of 8 guys compared to my 3. Eight guys who had little/no experience in the field, but because they can get in and do the job for less than half the price and in half the time, the signed contract doesn't mean squat anymore. Nobody cares if the workers are legal or not, because money talks.
Now, I could have taken it to court and probably won something, because there was paperwork involved. But after all those years in the industry, and specifically after two years of busting my ass for little/no pay, I figured out that basically I could go work for UPS as a warehouse worker and make the same amount of money I made in 2007, including full benefits for myself and my wife. And with the recession only getting worse, we started to look at our options. My wife was (and still is) a full time student, but she owned an apartment free and clear back in her home country of Bulgaria...specifically in the capital city, Sofia. We spent a month of looking at all of our options and decided...let's move overseas.
I've never been happier. Writing had been a passion of mine for years, something I had delved into on a part-time basis before, but had never taken up as a career. Last year was a bit rough (2008) because I literally stepped into the industry with no previous experience. I don't have a college degree, and I didn't graduate high school. I'm a tradesman by training, a journeyman craftsman, and despite the fact that my average wage for the majority of my career was in excess of 60k a year (for 6-7 months of work...nothing to sneeze at IMO), most people looked at me with curious disbelief when I applied for writing positions. Still, I took what I knew (video games and MMORPGs, as well as my interior design/construction background) and found a couple of start-up companies that were willing to hire someone with little/no writing experience because my experience within the fields was enough to give them pause.
Now, as I move into 2009, I'm hitting all the milestones I set for myself back in 2008. I have regular part-time work from a couple of content generation sites in the UK, and while it's not exactly high paying, I'm still somewhat of a low man on the totem pole. And the way I look at it is...at least I have a job, unlike the millions of Americans who are being laid off every month. And not only that, but I get to work from the comfort of my home. I've sold one short story professionally, and I've had the time to devote to what it is I always wanted to do: write. I've got half a dozen short stories completed at present and three of them are in circulation looking for a home. I'm over 60k words into my first novel, and moving into the second part this March. It'll probably end up around 150-180k words, or at least that's what my rough outline shows. I'm getting regular work e-mailed to me from my content generation sites, and I'm always on the lookout for more clients.
At the end of the day, we'll be lucky if we make 20k USD this year between us. But I look at it this way...our home is paid for. We only have 500 USD a month in living expenses/bills. I'm only 29 years old. I don't have to work physically anymore. Both of us have steady part-time jobs. She loves her school, and I love my writing. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day ahead. I've always been a fairly positive thinker, and despite my lack of formal education I have always been successful at every single thing I have ever put my mind to. I have no doubts that my writing career will prove to be the same, and if early 2009 is any indication, I am right on track for the milestones I set for myself. I had a goal of being established as a freelancer by 2009, and I now have steady work. I said I would sell at least one short story by 2009, and I did. I said I would have my book finished in 2009, and I will.
Money does not equal happiness. It can make life easier, but all those years I spent in construction I was never this happy. I had to get up at 4 a.m. to be in Denver by 6 most mornings, and I didn't get home until 7 or 8 at night. I was tired all the time. Dirty. Worn out. Physically spent. Now, I get up around 8 or 9, I work out for about an hour, then I do my paying projects for 3-4 hours, after which I spend 2-3 hours working on my personal projects...either the book or stories. And I'm blissfully happy. I attribute most of that to the wonderful woman by my side who has been so supportive over the years, but in some measure it also can be attributed to being able to work in a field that I truly enjoy. The money may not be the best, but the old saying "the world is what you make of it" pretty much rings true, regardless of your circumstances.
The moral of this rambling it this, I suppose: belief in yourself will lead to eventual success, regardless of the field in which you find yourself. Doing what your passions leads you to do is what brings about true happiness, so if you find yourself in a position where you are unhappy...change your circumstance. Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.
Prior to becoming a freelance writer I owned and operated a ceramic tile and natural stone installation company in Colorado along the Front Range. As a third generation contractor I grew up in the industry. A large portion of my dad's side of the family is involved, including 2 of his brothers, his dad, and one of my cousins up until a couple of years ago when he quit to start a custom car shop with some friends. And prior to the recession and illegal immigration issues it was a lucrative trade. My dad's company specialized in commercial applications (malls, airports, Wal-Mart stores, Safeway stores, hospitals, condo projects...you name it) as well as large-scale multi-million dollar custom homes. I myself settled into a niche doing smaller custom homes (200-500k range) and spec homes, and was making a pretty reliable and comfortable 60-65k a year working only about 6 months out of the year. The rest of the time I spent traveling in Europe. For quite a few years it went along smoothly.
Then came 2006-2007. Immigration started to become an issue for blue-collar workers, even specialized tradesmen like myself. Where I had previously been making upwards of 500 dollars a day, I suddenly found myself lucky to be making 300 dollars a day as I had to work more hours for less per-square-foot wages to stay competitive. I was literally laughed out of several meetings with potential clients when my rates proved to be 50-70% more expensive than the immigrant workers who were willing to do the job for pennies. And with the recession starting to become an issue, people were no longer interested in quality above quantity...they were worried about being able to pay the bills, which meant specialized services were no longer required. I began to spend more and more of my time shopping for the next job, and less time actually working.
On top of that, I developed chronic acute tendinitis in my left wrist. At one point it had swollen up to the size of a softball and I was unable to use my left hand for nearly a week. My knees were holding up just fine, but I had also developed a ganglion cyst in my left ankle that was driving me bonkers...and the hours were getting ridiculous. During the 2007 year I couldn't find work to save my life in the Front Range area, and ended up having to travel 4 hours up the mountain to Steamboat Springs to even find work. I spent January to October working up the mountain, leaving on Monday mornings at 5 a.m. to get up there by 9 a.m., and then working four 10-12 hour days before driving back down the mountain on Thursday nights so I could spend a couple of days with my wife each week. The gas and hotel costs alone were out the roof, and by October I had only managed to gross 38k for the year, which was barely enough to pay for our living expenses plus her school payments.
Then in November I lost a contract that I had been working on for 18 months. It's along story, but basically I was told two days before I was scheduled to start the project that the owners had decided to go with someone else. This was after 18 months of working hand-in-hand with them, helping to design and coordinate the project, and consulting. I had a bid of 70k for 6-8 weeks of work, using 3 of the highest qualified installers in the Colorado industry...guys who have--like myself--over 15 years in the industry specializing in high-end custom homes. Then at the last moment I got a phone call saying "well this crew over here said they'd do it in 3 weeks for 25k".
I did my research and found out that the "crew" was all immigrants (legal or not, I didn't delve that deep), and they had a crew of 8 guys compared to my 3. Eight guys who had little/no experience in the field, but because they can get in and do the job for less than half the price and in half the time, the signed contract doesn't mean squat anymore. Nobody cares if the workers are legal or not, because money talks.
Now, I could have taken it to court and probably won something, because there was paperwork involved. But after all those years in the industry, and specifically after two years of busting my ass for little/no pay, I figured out that basically I could go work for UPS as a warehouse worker and make the same amount of money I made in 2007, including full benefits for myself and my wife. And with the recession only getting worse, we started to look at our options. My wife was (and still is) a full time student, but she owned an apartment free and clear back in her home country of Bulgaria...specifically in the capital city, Sofia. We spent a month of looking at all of our options and decided...let's move overseas.
I've never been happier. Writing had been a passion of mine for years, something I had delved into on a part-time basis before, but had never taken up as a career. Last year was a bit rough (2008) because I literally stepped into the industry with no previous experience. I don't have a college degree, and I didn't graduate high school. I'm a tradesman by training, a journeyman craftsman, and despite the fact that my average wage for the majority of my career was in excess of 60k a year (for 6-7 months of work...nothing to sneeze at IMO), most people looked at me with curious disbelief when I applied for writing positions. Still, I took what I knew (video games and MMORPGs, as well as my interior design/construction background) and found a couple of start-up companies that were willing to hire someone with little/no writing experience because my experience within the fields was enough to give them pause.
Now, as I move into 2009, I'm hitting all the milestones I set for myself back in 2008. I have regular part-time work from a couple of content generation sites in the UK, and while it's not exactly high paying, I'm still somewhat of a low man on the totem pole. And the way I look at it is...at least I have a job, unlike the millions of Americans who are being laid off every month. And not only that, but I get to work from the comfort of my home. I've sold one short story professionally, and I've had the time to devote to what it is I always wanted to do: write. I've got half a dozen short stories completed at present and three of them are in circulation looking for a home. I'm over 60k words into my first novel, and moving into the second part this March. It'll probably end up around 150-180k words, or at least that's what my rough outline shows. I'm getting regular work e-mailed to me from my content generation sites, and I'm always on the lookout for more clients.
At the end of the day, we'll be lucky if we make 20k USD this year between us. But I look at it this way...our home is paid for. We only have 500 USD a month in living expenses/bills. I'm only 29 years old. I don't have to work physically anymore. Both of us have steady part-time jobs. She loves her school, and I love my writing. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day ahead. I've always been a fairly positive thinker, and despite my lack of formal education I have always been successful at every single thing I have ever put my mind to. I have no doubts that my writing career will prove to be the same, and if early 2009 is any indication, I am right on track for the milestones I set for myself. I had a goal of being established as a freelancer by 2009, and I now have steady work. I said I would sell at least one short story by 2009, and I did. I said I would have my book finished in 2009, and I will.
Money does not equal happiness. It can make life easier, but all those years I spent in construction I was never this happy. I had to get up at 4 a.m. to be in Denver by 6 most mornings, and I didn't get home until 7 or 8 at night. I was tired all the time. Dirty. Worn out. Physically spent. Now, I get up around 8 or 9, I work out for about an hour, then I do my paying projects for 3-4 hours, after which I spend 2-3 hours working on my personal projects...either the book or stories. And I'm blissfully happy. I attribute most of that to the wonderful woman by my side who has been so supportive over the years, but in some measure it also can be attributed to being able to work in a field that I truly enjoy. The money may not be the best, but the old saying "the world is what you make of it" pretty much rings true, regardless of your circumstances.
The moral of this rambling it this, I suppose: belief in yourself will lead to eventual success, regardless of the field in which you find yourself. Doing what your passions leads you to do is what brings about true happiness, so if you find yourself in a position where you are unhappy...change your circumstance. Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The First Post
So after a couple of years of using MySpace and Facebook, and learning the ways of blogging and social networking, my wife convinced me to start up a blog here. This site will serve as a way to ramble about the things which I find interesting, as well as to showcase my work at various sites and maybe even drum up additional work from clients who might stumble upon this site in their random browsings.
Feel free to browse around. It'll likely take me a couple of weeks to get pictures, links, stories, and some rambling posts up, but rest assured...they will come.
Feel free to browse around. It'll likely take me a couple of weeks to get pictures, links, stories, and some rambling posts up, but rest assured...they will come.
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