Daily Dose of Optimism

 
After my mammogram today I rushed home to wait for days on the results. 
Should know something by Monday, they say. 
I know Im just over reacting but after the first few tit shots the mammographer (is that what their called?) says 
"Well, its probably just a cyst but I might need to take a few more pictures. Just depends on what I see here."
So while Im sitting in my lovely pink front-tie hospital shirt waiting for the boob ultra sound gal,
here comes my mammographer again. 
Apparently she needed the other two pictures. 
So- here I go. 
It wasnt enough to get the vertical smash pic and the horizontal smash pic 
but my lump also warranted the diagonal super smashorama snapshot. 
Not comforting.

The ultrasound girl did finally arrive but that was even less comforting. 
She had me put my clothing in the adjoining bathroom and I took one look in there 
and almost ran out- pink hospital shirt, boobs peaking out and all. 
It looked like something out of the Saw movies in there 
complete with rust smeared, dripping sink and scary old toilet with a broken handle. 
The floor was ripped up even! 
Then she wasnt even sure what she was looking at. 
She kept saying "where is it?" and "Are you sure its still there?"

oi vay

The Future of Telecommuting- No Office

Below is a video from ABC News about how the future includes much more telecommuting positions.

It is from an article here- that has many useful links and telecommuting job leads. If you want to work from home- check it out.

 

 

 

The Small-Steps Method « Seagrave’s Weblog

 
The Small-Steps Method « Seagrave’s Weblog

I thought this was a pretty rockin' post on how to get writing. Its for screenwriters but I thought it was totally relevant elsewhere.

 

Anywho- here I am blog surfing instead of working on the 18K words due to the editor on Wednesday. 

 

Anyone know of an article on that? 

Scares and worries…

The doctor said it was most likely a cyst in my boobie and scheduled me for a mashogram on Tuesday. 
Always a joy.

I have a birthday party for next to smallest male child tomorrow. Sigh.. 
How can I get 20K words written by Wednesday? How, how, how?

We are back to schedule, aren’t we? The bane of my existence. 
I believe someone should develop a way of scheduling that involves no scheduling whatsoever. 
Write a book called something like 
How to Get Everything on Your to do List Done Without Actually Trying or very similar. 

I once interviewed the very talented Joanna Fluke. She writes very cute and savvy mysteries about a baker, Hannah Swensen 
who solves murder mysteries in her little country town. 
She told me that she couldnt write her novels until her children were grown and out of the house. Hm...

Completely coincidentally- I just remembered that back in my twenties some friends and I saw a card reader one night. 
She told me I would have some measure of success in my later years. Geesh, I forgot about that.

 

Is it later?

 

 

What does a virtual workplace look like? « No there there

What does a virtual workplace look like? « No there there

I thought this was a really interesting article.

Is Breast Cancer Good For Your Career?

That is probably a terrible thing to say but I think I’ve driven myself insane. I have worried about this lump in my breast for days. I was up so late last night thinking about it that I was up early this morning. I just laid there staring at DH and Whistle britches, the littlest DS sleeping away.

“I wonder if it would hurt if I touched it. No, I better not push it. That might make something bad happen. Like what? If its cancer its already bad. Yeah but what if it breaks?”

Something like that over and over. So I finally get up at dawn and proof the articles I had to write and sent them in. I now have the second round of 20K due to my editor by next Wednesday. So Ive been steadily plugging away at that. Every time my mind wanders to the lumpy breast area I think of some intricate formula Im having to convey for the lay person.

Im setting goals like 3000 words before I can get my next cup of coffee etc. Just to stay focused on something besides my boobs. Tomorrow I can go to the doctor and find out if Im dieing or not. 

Lumpy is not good

I found a lump in my breast.

I found it Sunday and I have thought about nothing else. I think about it when Im cooking and cleaning and reading and working.

My friends have assured me that it isnt always cancer. A lump can be anything. It hurts. Is that a good sign?

My mother died almost two years ago from cancer and I am still devastated. I thin about how it will effect my kids to lose me at these young ages. I dont want to leave them.

Im scared.

I Smelled my Childhood Today

I am aware of how that sounds but I got the oddest sense of nostalgia today.

I was pumping gas and looked around and got a big whiff of something. Just some smell floating by but it suddenly put me back to a day with parents on a trip to visit my grandparents in their big house on Clark Street in Hobart, Indiana.

I really felt for a nanosecond that I was there. But just a nanosecond. Then I got all teared up and realized I wasnt on my way to visit grandma and grandpa and Im all grown up now and that can suck.

I wish I knew what smell triggered that memory. Id keep it around the house like an air freshener.

Time Capsule Tag!

I am participating in the Time Capsule Tag via my invitation from Juliana at http://juliana.blogspot.com/

The question is what one thing would you include in a time capsule and why?

I would most definitely include an old journal I found when my mother died. It was a blank book that I had bought for her years ago for no real reason. She never used it. I decided to use it to write down the memories of my life for my children and grandchildren. A legacy of sorts.

So, thats what Id include. What about you?

Sundays are busy

In preparation for the busy upcoming work week I had an inspirational idea this morning. I always fix a huge breakfast for my family on Sundays. So while mixing sawmill gravy this morning it decided a new trick in the kids chores arena.

In between bacon and biscuits I printed out a Chore Chart and then something I started calling Bonus Bucks which were little dollars bills printed in varying denominations with the kids faces on them.

Each chore they did on the list earned them a bonus buck which they can then in turn use to purchase computer time, Disney Chanel, a free pass on broccoli or staying up an extra hour. Pretty freaking’ smart huh?

Well, its like this- Im sitting up in bed on a lovely stack  of freshly laundered pillows with ye ol’ laptop steadily writing 15 SEO articles on auto radiators (due tomorrow!).

Ah yes, to the victor goes the spoils… 

Sex texting- Its not just for teens

Im serious. Women all over the world are doing it and you’ll never guess who they are.

The preachers wife, little Bobbys kindergarten teacher, the PTA president…oh yeah.

Sex texting isnt as lurid as it sounds. Your actually asked NOT to get to funky.

Sex-texting or “Texting”  as the experts call it is just like texting your boyfriend or that hunky mechanic at Pep Boys. Only its not, it’s a total stranger. Ok, let me rephrase that, its a total stranger to you- to him its the gorgeous chickie he’s been texting the last few weeks or months.

Texting companies will have a log-in page that all operators work from on their computer. You log in on your designated time and you will have a user interface page. It will tell you who you are and who you are talking to.

You might be:

Tiffany-23 years old, blonde hair blue eyes 23″ 36″ 23

He might be:

Frank- Butcher Holler KY. 28 yrs old, likes bowling and NASCAR

Your details thoughtfully put together by the staff and his added by the many, many Tiffany’s that he has texted to.

Some services will even have pictures for you to send with your messages. The messages can get a little risque but your told during training to not get to sexy and nothing weird- no bestiality, no necrophilia, no incest, rape etc.

Getting a job with one of these can be difficult. It works in your favor if you have excellent typing skills, customer service (that includes lip service) experience and some experience working at home.

This is in no way an easy job. It sounds like loads of fun but in reality can be just as grueling as a 9-5er. The pay isnt as great as it could be and it is most often delivered monthly.  Most companies require you to schedule your work hours a week or two ahead of time and work a minimum of 25 hours a week. Your also often required to schedule in UK time which isnt always easy.

While sex texting isnt really sex texting but more like serious flirt texting- tarot texting is what it says it is and many of these companies offer both.

Below is a list of resources to check out for further information.  The companies may or not be hiring. It is up to you to find further information.

Interview with ex-sex text worker

Short Message Sex- textual intercourse

C_U_N_T_S- Collaborating, underpaid network of teleho’s

Stream Texting~ Offers non-adult lines.
Email: text.op.help@streamgroup.co.uk
And Put Sex Texting Position in Subject Line

BOX-69 *NO SET SCHEDULE* *10 Hours per Week MIN*
Pay:ranges from 7p to 20p depending on retention
rates are reviewed Quarterly
PAID WEEKLY* VIA PAYPAL (US OPS) and VIA UK BANK ACCOUNTS (UK OPS)
*when you have reached the min amount required per week*

http://www.box-69.com/me/default.asp

Evoke Chat (scheduled) 10 to 16 hours per week
10p to 14p per message, depending on grade
PAYS MONTHLY VIA PAYPAL around the 10th of the Month
Email Jo@evokechat.co.uk

JetText
Info@jetnetting.com

LST (scheduled) 25 hours per week
Pay based on Retention.
PAYS VIA PAYPAL
1st pay Month following hire
Then Converts to WEEKLY pay
Email info@livesextext.com

http://www.livesextext.com

MYTXT
*This company is REFERRAL ONLY*

NOGoats(Scheduled via Rota)
Giz@nogoats.com
6p Weekdays/7p weekends
Pays via NETELLER

Schedule

Scheduling-

It is more important than I can explain in normal human phrases. It supersedes eating, drinking and making number 1 or 2.

If you have no schedule you have no job. Or you wont for long.

When I began working at home I was a coder for a legal company. I sat all day long coding peoples patent documents. It was long, boring work. (Except when I got a bunch of documents from the ENRON scandal. There were tons of emails and memos to code for a legal office!) So, I would put it off until the last possible minuet.

What I soon figured out doing that was that I was on the slow road back to unemployment. What  I found next was that I wanted to do it less and less. When I finally forced myself on task it was like writing a Dear John letter. I wrote it because I had to not because I wanted to.

I eventually got better (more interesting) work and I always try to make a schedule to complete it on time or with time to spare. When I first get the assignment I ask any pertinent questions including the due date. Then I figure out how much time Ill have to devote to it to get it done by the date.

If its a work that must be done at a particular time or date, I plan the rest of my day or week accordingly. Getting all my other responsibilities taken care of ahead of time leaves that block of time open for work.

Stay consistent with your work schedule and you’ll find that it enhances your productivity. And we all know what happens then!

$$$ 

 But see- no one ever tells you the importance of this stuff when you start. No one sits you down and looks in your eye and says “Hey Chick, get your shit together or your going back to Waffle House 3rd shift.”

So know it now. Treat your home job like a real job and its going to work for you.

My work here is done. Im off to Wal Mart to purchase martini glasses and peruse the clearance isle. Ill tackle that assignment when I get back. Ive got time.

Yes, you can.

Working at home is possible. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you live or what kind of education you have. One thing I have learned in my many years of working at home is in this industry “education = experience”  like no other.

It just makes good sense for businesses to outsource and if you can do the work proficiently you have the job. Another great advantage of working at home is the freedom. The freedom extends to every facet. You are not tied to one type of job. Some of the most successful telecommuters I know dabble in several money-making venues. A virtual assistant may also run a welcome service and sell AVON. A writer might also make and sell jewelry. Mix and match the things you have a talent and interest in.

Start slow. Don’t rush into any business full speed ahead. Test the waters. Take on a small contract or take baby steps. Don’t spend a lot of money on anything- not even home businesses until you know its what you want to do.

Do your homework. Research your idea well and you’ll know what your getting into. The fewer surprises the better!