You guys!! I had to scroll back 225 messages to find last month's checkins! Because we rock! And I still can't post without exclamation points!

Anyway:

I wrapped up a project today, with happy clients, and a big feeling of YAY DONE. I like handoffs. I like them so much better than finishing up a period of contract work, or a maintenance/upgrade/tweaky jobbie, or whatever else, even if the pay and work were exactly the same. It's like, hey, we made this thing! Look at it all shiny and new!

So after that, I took a two-hour vacation. I mean really took a vacation: walked out of the client's office reeeeally slow on this absolutely gorgeous day, and got myself lunch (out! not at my desk!) and took the slow way home, totally in the moment the whole time, and took a little nap, and THEN got back to hitting refresh on a million different things.

I'm definitely one of those freelancers who does it for the lifestyle rather than doing it to make the big bucks. And I'm pretty good at refusing to let myself get into overcommitment and 16-hour workdays and all that -- I'd rather live leaner but saner, and anyway getting all macho over that stuff is for the birds 25-year-olds. But even so, I carry work with me. If I'm not being productive, I'm still thinking about it, whether it's some project or just angsting about how I'm not being more productive. If I'm on official vacation (as opposed to today's 2-hour kind), I always have the laptop and phone along with me. Y'all know the drill, I'm sure.

So, a bonus check-in question, if anyone wants one: What's your best micro-break, whether it's a few minutes or stealing an extra hour? Can you turn off the "I could be working" nag?

Financially, we're finishing the month fairly flush (well, for us, anyway), and I got my invoices out today. So that's good. I'm finally making my share of the load... although I also think I keep tabs on that way, way closer than S does. Had a slack time in the middle of the month which scared me, but we did a tough reset on our spending, and that evened things out a lot. Still working on the plan to get the reserves built up.

Looking ahead, I need to pick up projects, and soon. Slack times are bad for the soul. Or the anxiety. Or whatchamacallit. I have some better sources now for short-term gigs, and I'm planning to fill in between bigger projects with those, if I can get the balance sorted right.

Still learning so much with this business thing, and still so much to learn.

Good job, amych!!

It's hard for me to turn off, but I think it's going DOWNSTAIRS and watching the backlog of Leverage episodes. And strange as it seems, we're having (huh -- I AM having a garage sale next weekend so we can maybe use the garage this winter, clear out some out our and the ex's crap, and maybe get a little money to hold back the wolves. Maybe a wolf. A wolf pup? Whatev.

Money-wise, things are still super-tight, but I am slllooowwwwly bringing in more. I have to keep telling myself "Started in July, started in July, income goes up a little each month so far."

Help! In a breezy, informal newsletter, I want to include the following phrase:

Think about the problems you solved, the resources you discovered and the strategies you developed...

but I'm pretty sure it should be "you've" not "you". The problem is "you've" sounds weird to me - would using "you" be completely and irrevocably wrong or could I get away with it in this context?

It kind of depends on the time period you're talking about, lcat.

"Think about the problems you have solved, the resources you have...." implies an extended period of time, while "the problems you solved..." implies a more specific period, like "the problems you solved this week" or "the problems you solved at the seminar."

Man. Ginger is really good at this!

That logic makes perfect sense and I would never have though of it.

Nice one.

My favorite micro-breaks are much too macro and involve television. That, and chasing Bartleby around the house with a squeaky toy.

It seems I am always working or thinking about working...much more of the latter than is good for me.

Breaks?

Ginger

Thanks for the explanation. It was one of those situations where I knew what should be done but couldn't figure out why and, as Bonnie said, your explanation makes sense and will help me remember it next time.

Does anyone have a Business Plan TO GET THE NEW NATTER UP?!?!?!

tries to run, staggers out instead

Erin, don't be surprised if I contact you soonishly and give you monies on my aunt's behalf, because she needs to find a job and kind of desperately needs your resume magic.

No lie, I am kind of excited to support a Buffista AND help my family at the same time.