freelancing

I've tried to keep this blog away from delving too far into the life of a freelancer and keep it a little more general into just 'real' life, but I guess that gets more difficult once I realize that freelancing has occupied virtually my entire life for quite some time. Maybe that's why blog entries are few and far between and nearly always mention work and how busy I've been and remain to be.

Obviously I'm not complaining. Things are great and being too busy as a self-employed dude is better than the alternative. Still, landing this 6-month contract is like a blessing for me. I can work on that, but still stop working occasionally and focus on the 'next big thing'.  For this round, it'll be focusing on my illustration... both in selling to companies on a freelance basis as well as produce something I can sell many, many times. I'm already seeing the limitations of a freelancer, which is as a 1-man operation you can only produce so much in any given day. I've known for a while that I need to look into transitioning from a service-based guy into a product-based guy, and this will be the perfect, 6-month opportunity to make that happen.

I've already turned away some work to ensure that will happen for me. It's difficult to say no to clients or potential clients, but I have to keep in mind that these are changes that won't only benefit me personally, but my entire life. Once that's in perspective, small sacrifices along the way aren't a big deal.

Anyhoo, in other news, I'm picking up an old, new hobby. The wifey bought me piano lessons as a birthday gift, and I've been trying to re-learn the piano. I took lessons for many years in my youth and got pretty good, but haven't touched a piano in many years and it was all lost. My first lesson was today, and some vague memories of playing came back to me and I was able to power through a children's book of songs in short order. Now I've got a grown-up book, which will probably (hopefully) be a bit more difficult.

 Someone much, much smarter than me once said "When you're self-employed you can make your own schedule. Any 80 hours per week you choose." That seems about right, really.

My frantic work schedule has left us in a fantastic place financially, even being a 1-income household for the time being, but is a bit of a drain on me, professionally and personally. Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic being self-employed and successful at it, but I do sometimes wonder what it would be like to just work a normal job like most people and, ya know, be able to stop working every once in a while.

Unfortunately the work schedule means very little time for things like my blogging and other illustration. There is, however, a very bright light at the end of this very dark tunnel, and if I can just keep up this pace for the rest of this week, my schedule will be free and clear. All active projects will be wrapped and invoiced. That is, until the 2 meetings I have lined up for next week about new projects. 

My time off will be spent making yet another play at illustration work. I know, I know, this illustration dream of mine may be worth giving up at this point, but I'm not quite ready to give up the dream right now. I've bought another couple books on the matter, and I need to work on the whole business package like I have for my web design business that has been so effective. Then, of course, I need a portfolio I'm proud of... that's the hard part right now, but I'll get there. 

I just don't want to ruin my streak of YouTube videos in my posts, so I present a really worthless video of Winnie running around a snowy field. Amazing, right? 

Life barrels on and on, things are going splendidly. I had to fire my first and only employee ever, Hillary, on account of her getting me way too much work to handle it all. I know the life of a freelancer means feast and famine, but I've been blessed this year that I have had way more feast. 

Next month we're going to Houston to visit Hill's family, and a month later going to Gulf Shores to spend time with mine. We're very much looking forward to it.

In the meantime, we are in hard-core money-saving mode and living like hermits, barely leaving the house. I don't mind it though.