Well, keeping track of time so far has shown an average of my working about 4.5 hr per day. Wow, much less than I thought. Makes me feel better and bad at the same time. I need more data. I'll have to keep track in Dec. and see what it looks like.

Been very busy with having Thanksgiving here, trips to NYC (Chanticleer concert; R's early bday present to me: A Steady Rain tickets. I mean, come on. Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman on the same stage. Do I have a great husband or what?!) Have tons of work, which is lovely but exhausting.

I've actually written my Nov. 100 Words entries ... now to put them up on the site! I hope to do that on Friday or Sat. I have to do it before next week at least. Now to keep going for Dec.!!

I've been busy too with my singing ... we had two madrigal concerts and another coming up in Dec. Singing with that group is great even if we're a bit flat at times! :)

*yawn* Is it bedtime yet?

Have been extremely busy with the new house and childcare and tons of work. In an effort to actually see how much I work (since I really have no idea how my time breaks down, as it's chunked out over the day), I am going to start keeping track of what I do when next week and post it here. How is my WAHM week broken down. Then I'll see if that is typical and do it again.

In the meantime, this is kinda scary. Seems that companies will be assessed as to whether their contractors are really contractors. I don't think I should be affected but I have heard that a publisher in MA recently told MA freelancers that they could not use them anymore, as they are considered more like employees ... something like that, anyway.

Humph. Can't we catch a break, huh? Freelancers work harder than anyone and we pay our taxes, quarterly even, so let us stay at home and make money without being fearful of our classification.

November 5 Article in CFODailyNews.com:

"Beginning in February, 6,000 random (unlucky) companies will start getting the IRS version of Happy New Year’s wishes: a notice they’re going to be audited over employment taxes. While agents will be looking for an array of violations, they’re really targeting Form 1099 independent contractors who should be classified as regular employees."
http://www.cfodailynews.com/feds-plan-heap-of-random-audits-in-early-2010/

November 5 article in BusinessWeek
"Get ready for an intense new round in the long-running fight over which workers are independent contractors. "

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_46/b4155073825377.htm

Google the phrase "independent contractor" or read more at http://misclassified.blogspot.com/.

Things I've Learned from Copyediting, No. 5

This is one hell of a cloth!!

" ... a towel that could soak up a bucket full of water"

I took my first step to being more organized and efficient ... I opted out of receiving this daily email that listed "Virtual Editing Work." Most days there is nothing in my field but today I saw three listings that I could do. One paid $10 per hour, one paid $9 per hour, and one paid up to $12 per hour. And two of the listings were in broken English.

You have GOT to be kidding me!

So now I don't have to see it in my in-box anymore. Yea for me.

It's amazing how things change. I used to spend my "net" time checking all freelance sites, posting on here, checking editing sites ... Now I check FB and check items for work and post on 100 Words. That's about it. I have little time to look at freelance items, blogs ... . Maybe that will change again sometime.

I do miss keeping up with all the freelance sites. But I should spend more time working. And writing poetry. And submitting. Oh, to get back to when I used Sundays all for my own writing, submitting, etc. That was a good plan.

Maybe it is all organization? Maybe soon when I have my own office (just me, my own room!!) I can get more done? Somehow I keep thinking I can fit it all in with a child now in the mix, and I can't. I think I should be superwoman and that's silly.

In any case, I will forge ahead and try to feel good about what I can get done. Try to be more efficient so I can spend even more time playing with and discovering with and teaching K. My head is spinning but I think all will work out ...

Favorite errors of the day:

peoples'

Tuscon, AR

I'm still doing well with my writing: 100 Words is going well and I've been thinking a lot about my novels. I joined JacketFlap.com, a site about children's publishing, and created a profile as a freelancer. Seem like nice people there.

I just saw a rerun of Jeopardy and one of the answers started with the words Ms. Lenox' (the possessive), and I took a double take, then hit rewind on the DVR and looked at it again. That can't be right, can it? It's not CMS. I can't find where that would be the correct possessive for an x.

If anyone knows in what style that works, let me know.

In honor of my starting 100 Words again today and my attempt to start writing and submitting poems again ...

Poetry: Not Dead Yet

Things I've Learned From Copyediting, No. 4


Here is another example of where a hyphen is rather important. Today I'm editing academic work in the field of education:

" ... some small school principals are aware of the problem"

Without the hyphen in "small-school" I am picturing a 4-ft person behind a large desk in the school office!

I'm taking a medical editing course online, caring for Kai full time, editing two novels, making my way through editing eight journal issues, and looking for a house to purchase. So I haven't had much time to post here, if you can't tell.

Here is a blog post from Freelance Matters that talks about freelancing and the time demands ...