I'm talking about my professional groove here. When I quit my full-time, outside-the-home job in October of 2008, I assumed I'd have a brief regrouping period and then cobble together some sort of hybrid part-time/freelance career. Oh, I'd be so creatively fulfilled and work-life-balanced!
Flash-forward to a little over 2.5 years later, and I've just gotten stuck. Bill and I have now filed tax returns for two full tax years in which my income was $0. And during that time I have made great strides in terms of getting my personal and family lives in order. My mental health is stable, I'm on a regular exercise schedule, I mostly stay on top of household duties, and I'm involved in a variety of activities that just generally make me a happy person. And all that personal fulfillment is all well and good, BUT in our society we attach a great value to making money. I'd like to say that I'm above thinking that the ability to make money confers a certain status upon a person, but the reality is that I feel less competent because I'm not contributing to my family's income.
So lately I've been applying to a few different jobs, putting out feelers as the cheesy corporate lingo goes, although the two money-making opportunities that look the most promising were gigs that actually came to me. I have a freelance project that has just gotten emailed to me during the typing of this blog post, and, and, I got an email from somebody who is interested in advertising on Same Old Shannon.
The funny thing is, I don't care if I don't get rich off any of these opportunities. I don't even care if I don't even come close to making a tiny fraction of what my husband makes. To me, there's just a great deal of pride that comes from some outside person telling you that your work is valuable enough to be financially compensated.
Plus it doesn't hurt to have a little extra income going in when so much is going out.
Speaking of outgoing funds, I think I need to spend some money on some office supplies for myself. I know, I know, I'll destroy my whole profit margin! But if I look at it from the standpoint of my total household income, I think I can afford to buy:
A roll-top desk!
The desk would be for that new office I said I was going to create for myself back in January. Yeah, I know, I still haven't fulfilled my New Year's Resolution. But I'm still working on it. That counts for something, right? Because I know this sounds dumb and cheesy and generally just a justification for spending more money, but I really think I need a dedicated workspace.
And I really think that, as the lone female in my house, my dedicated workspace should be an homage to all things pink and girly. I found the perfect poster in my basement to frame for my office:
This is a poster I got in 2005 when my mom and I attended the Jacqueline Kennedy dress exhibit at The Field Museum. I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with the Kennedys or anything, but I like history and the exhibit was really cool. Plus I have really fond memories of going to it with my mom on what was, as I recall, her first visit to Chicago. Also I think posters from museum exhibits are a little bit classier than my old decor, which was cat posters.
So, I think I have switched my potential office location from a corner of the basement to a corner of the guest room. It's warmer up in the guest room, with more light, and besides I wouldn't have to clean out a whole bunch of clutter like I would in the basement.
I just decided I'm going to paint it a peaceful shade of lavender!
Here's something else about me: I love office supplies. I'm convinced that if I had all the right pens and notebooks, I could not only be at my peak creatively, but also perfectly organized.
And nobody does office supplies like the Japanese. Just this past week I placed an order from Tokyo Pen Shop, which is a Japanese office supply website that I once read about in Martha Stewart Living. Martha likes the site because it sells the Pilot Hi-Tec-C pen, which is not sold in stores in the U.S. I purchased the Hi-Tec-C pens in the Cutie Colors assortment:
I also got some D-Clips paper clips shaped like cats. I have no idea what I'm going to be clipping together, but damn if they aren't the cutest things you ever saw.
Okay, so I spent less time talking about my professional pursuits than I spent talking about my plans to decorate my home office, which makes me feel a little bit like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. But you'd rather read about gel pens than freelance editorial work, right?
4 comments:
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!! SO excited for you! For the work, mostly, but also the office. You rule.
(Also, let's go back to high school - Word verification = consdom. Teehee.)
Congrats! Your job is now legit, and yes, you need and deserve a dedicated work space. I also like how the flat screen fits nicely into the roll-top desk. Have fun shopping! See you at Office Max.
LOVE the desk! I totally get the office supply thing. And don't forget, Elle Woods graduated from Harvard at the end of the movie, so I think it's ok to be a little bit like her ;)
This is a comment from a person of the increasingly elderly persuasion, but could you use a slightly darker font? I know that barely-visible fonts are all the rage, but it's awfully hard to read them.
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