I’m a big believer in life handing us the right things at the right time. No, really. Stop laughing. I don’t mean that goodness drops out of the sky into our laps, or anything, but that if you’re doing your best and paying attention, things have a way of working out. A little elbow grease, a little divine providence… who knows?

And I’ve never been particularly patriotic, but I’m here to tell you that I have never been so excited about the July 4th holiday as I am this year.

I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m burning out, exactly. Let’s just say I’m feeling a little singed around the edges. Read the rest of this entry »

Greetings from Goldilocks Central. Our special today is Summer vacation, and the awesomeness thereof. Sort of. Or maybe not.

Fortunately, the temperature of porridge is neither here nor there (because really, porridge? who eats that?), but unfortunately, there is simply no pleasing me in the Summertime, as it turns out. Work is work, whether school is in session or not. I always start school vacations with visions of good times with the kids and enhanced work efficiency, and by the second week, I’m begging for mercy. Or complaining that this chair is too hard and this chair is too soft. Either way. But this week is getting to me.

I had plans, people. This year, I was going to have everything under control. For the first time. Really. Stop laughing. Read the rest of this entry »

Hey, so remember how last year I turned my life upside-down, and I remarried and the kids and I moved over a thousand miles and suddenly we were facing a summer sans camps or other daycare-ish distractions, and I was trying to figure out how to help my kids adjust to a new home and a new stepfather and a new state and still get all of my work done?

Yeah, me neither. I mean, I do, sort of… sort of like how in theory I remember labor and delivery, but the details are all very fuzzy.

Mother Nature gently blurs women’s memory of childbirth so that we’ll be willing to do it again, and my altered memory of a summer spent freelancing with no childcare is really the same situation. Because if I had any sort of real recollection of how that worked out, I’d probably be in the fetal position under my desk, right now. Read the rest of this entry »

I want to tell you about something I did last week, and I want to tell you why it bothers me.

And I’m going to stick my foot in my mouth. And I’m okay with that. Mostly. Nevertheless, allow me a proactive apology. If what I am about to say offends you, I am truly sorry.

Okay. Now. I’m just going to put it out there. While it is true that—as a freelancer—I work from home and therefore I could be considered to have a home-based business, I have an extreme prejudice against home-based businesses. More to the point, I hate home “parties” where a “consultant” sells things. There. I said it. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday I went on an adventure! I got up in the wee hours and flew to New York City so that I could have my 15 seconds of fame, and also because I have always wanted to see if I could apply eyeliner in a cab without puncturing my eyeball.

Do you know what I did? Here’s a hint:

Read the rest of this entry »

So I’ve mentioned before that I’m headed to BlogHer Business this week, right? I’ve already talked about all of the great reasons to go—it’s a great networking opportunity, conferences in your field should be considered necessary business development opportunities, etc.

What I didn’t talk about was the fact that this whole flexible-career, be-available-to-the-kids thing has spoiled my children beyond reason. As in, they think I should be around all the time. As in, they don’t want me to go.

(How do I know this? Oh, I may have started getting the idea last night at bedtime as my daughter hung on my arm and cried, “Don’t go, Mama! Stay here with us!”) Read the rest of this entry »

Hey, remember that time when I had a whole week to myself and just couldn’t think of anything I needed/wanted to do? And I just wasn’t sure of how to just properly relax? Remember that? Wasn’t that funny? Gosh, that was a long time ago, though.

And by “long time ago” I of course mean last week.

It just feels like a long time ago, because this week, it’s back to business as usual. Actually, it’s more like business as all hopped up on speed. (Dude. Did you happen to spot my business over at Target buying multiple bottles of Sudafed, or anything?) Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Spring Break, people! Can’t you tell?

Wait. You can’t tell? Really?

Oh, yeah. That’s right. I don’t actually get vacation. All freelancer, all the time!

It is, however, Spring Break. My kids are off of school, and in fact, they’re out of the state. (They’re up visiting their dad for the week.) My husband is off of work. Our town is virtually deserted. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday I could not get the phone to stop ringing. All of the standard clichés leapt to mind: The phone was ringing off the hook! (Except, of course, that it’s a handset and a base—no hook.) The phone was attached to my ear! (Actually, I usually do speaker phone with clients so that I can look at files at the same time.) And so on.

This was particularly aggravating, yesterday, because my son was home sick. He’s an easy sickie; he’s happy to lay on the couch and watch cartoons or doze. Still, it’s not the kind of day where I want to be talking to clients for hours on end, if I had my druthers. (What the heck are druthers, anyway? Apparently I didn’t have them, yesterday.) Read the rest of this entry »

My son had his first longish orthodontic appointment yesterday morning, and once again I said a silent little prayer of thanks that my life is flexible enough for me to take him where he needs to go without having to sign out of an office and/or apologize to clients. He has an appointment? Off we go! No problem!

Except there was a problem. I had assumed the orthodontist’s office—which is outfitted with video games, books, magazines, a beverage station, and quite possibly a private spa (maybe we only gain access to that after he gets his braces?)—would have wireless. But they didn’t. The waiting room was crammed full of parents even at 8:05 in the morning, so I found this surprising, truthfully. But that’s fine. I could make do without being able to hop online for an hour. Read the rest of this entry »