02 Nov 10 Moving On
When I complained about the downturn in business, which has been going on for some time now, I got the usual comments about getting off my butt or on my bike and looking for other work. Fair comment in a way. I don’t have much time for those who complain about their situation in life, but do nothing about it.
However, if it was just a question of getting off one’s butt, and searching in every increasing circles until you find a job, and that worked, then we’d have full employment – not around 10% of the country out of work. Of course it’s higher than that if you include those that are looking for work but don’t or can’t register for unemployment.
I have never been totally unemployed in my whole life, and I’m not quite now, but almost. I’ve always had something, even if it was a minimum wage job, or something part time, and it’s been dwindling away, even after making efforts at self-promotion. Of course, as any small business owner knows, advertising is a cost to one’s business, before one gets any kind of income from it. When the income starts to dry up, so does one’s ability to advertise, even allowing for ‘free’ advertising channels such as some places online or perhaps some local outlets. I write ‘free’ because nothing is ever free. It still takes time, and that is time that you’re not actually earning money either in your own business or working for someone else. It’s not a complaint, it’s a fact, and a part of doing business!
I’ve never claimed welfare either. I’m quite pleased at myself for that. Rest assured though, if I had to, and I was eligible, I would, because the systems are in place for such claims, and anyway, I pay my taxes, partly to pay for such eventualities.
Anyway I did get off my butt, and I found work too. It’s just that it’s 7,000 miles away. Bureaucratic procedures have meant frustrating delays, but they’re almost over now. Not soon enough, because I want to go today, wanted to go yesterday, last week, indeed last month, once I had the plans in place.
Once I’ve done my research, made plans and the like, I want to put them into action right away. I don’t do tedium well, I get impatient in a waiting room or even in a long checkout line, so October has seems like a ten year long nightmare to me.
Soon I will swap desert for damp and sunshine for showers, which is perhaps a shame, but sunshine doesn’t pay one’s way in the world, and I’ve always been proud of being able to support myself.
Financially rich, never, but financially self-sufficient, yes.
Tags: butt, circles, doing business, downturn, earning money, free advertising, full employment, minimum wage job, own business, part time, self promotion, small business owner, unemployment, welfare, whole life
03 Apr 08 Behind The Scenes
I’m not usually one for posting much on here about the cogs and gears behind the blog, but I did post a little about the new WordPress 2.5 and some issues that I found, because I know many of you also use WordPress yourself.
Of course, like anything in life, there is always stuff to do backstage.
Adding some new cool widget to hopefully enhance your visits here for example, and also making sure that everything is kept as up to date as possible to minimize security breaches, and other bugs.
It’s much the same with web sites in general, which is something I spend a large part of my day working on. Getting that web page to look ‘just right’ can take some hours of tinkering and fine tuning at times. Of course, we all know that everyone else’s job is much more exciting and glamorous than ours don’t we?
Take myself. I told so often how ‘cool’ web design is. How wonderful to work from home, and how great to have your own business.
Well, yes. web design can be cool sometimes of course. It can at times be a huge pain the butt. Yes, it’s great to get to work from home; like many people that go out to work each day, it was something I always wanted to be able to do, and by and large I don’t dislike it at all. I don’t think I’m an unsociable type, but I do work more productively on my own, and I don’t need to get a fix of the office politics or gossip, that I’ve heard some home workers mention that they miss.
Having you r own business is great too, but, at least with a small business, you’re often the CEO, CFO, secretary, tea-boy, mailroom attendant, and worker all rolled into one. You don’t have a boss anymore do you? Well kinda sorta – you have numerous clients instead, who all think they ARE your boss (and in a way they are). It can be a real art juggling between them, and letting them think they are your #1 priority at all times. Like web design itself, some of those clients can be a huge pain in the butt too. The ones that need your expertise, but still know how to do everything they’ve hired you for, better than you do.
Count ten, smile sweetly. Remember, you only have to meet them from time to time. Pity the poor souls in the office that have to put up with them all day from 9-5.
Working from home you can be a slob if you want. You can drink coffee at your desk, or eat pizza while you work. Actually I do tend to do the former, as I’m a bit of a coffee-holic but not the former, as it does mess up the keyboard, and I’m not a pizza lover myself anyway.
Some friends are convinced I sit at home all day looking at dodgy web sites, soliciting strange women online, and drinking myself silly. I wish. (Ouch, no not really, dear).
I have a four o’clock rule.
“Go wild after four?”. said one.
“Yeah, 4am”, said another, joining in rapidly to disparage my good name.
Well, not quite. I like a beer after work sometimes. So to make sure it is after work, my rule is no beer before four on a workday. You see, once I sit back in the chair with that cold beer, I don’t want to get back at the keyboard again.
Well ok, sometimes. Like now. It’s 11.15pm, I have a cold beer on the desk here while I write this, but I have no intention of doing any more work until tomorrow morning at 8am.
So, dear readers, with that, I really will kick back, and enjoy this ice-cold brew, and bid you all goodnight.
Tags: boss, bugs, ceo, cfo, cogs, cool web design, eve, gears, gossip, mailroom, office politics, own business, pain in the butt, priority, real art, security breaches, small business, web page, widget, wordpress
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