Happy New Year - 2024

This year is starting off super busy but it includes many things I've wanted to do for a long time. After announcing my retirement from UB, I picked up two new freelance clients and confirmed two continuing ones and am juggling deadlines between them. I admit that I forgot how busy it can get when you're the only person working on a project, but it has been exhilarating at the same time. If you need help, let me know. I'll be able to expand my availabilty in February after I finish a lot of content migration!

Future planning

Well, this post might show if people are actually reading my blog. I am starting to envision how my post-UB life will look. Timing is changing, but it should happen by the end of 2023. So, if you are looking for freelance help with web content, social media, WordPress, technical writing, proofreading or special events, let me know. I'd love to talk to you.

Curating Twitter to "shut down"

Concerned about deleting my business Twitter account fully, so instead I'm parking it. I deleted all of my followers and stopped following everyone, and turned the account private. The I discovered that they created an "interests" section where they checked everything I ever tweeted about along with the current owner's name and his personal interests. I'm now unchecking all those boxes. In the process of deleting some old tweets I was reminded of all the ways I worked to start this business again in 2009. I took a class and started a website at http://offpeak DOT comxa DOT com/. It no longer exists, but I did one. I also brainstormed lots of ideas and wrote a lot of pitch letters. And 14 years later I continue to have a side hustle. Perseverance does pay off.

2023: A year of change

Looking back at this blog, I see how much has changed AGAIN.  Not only is Facebook still being difficult, now Twitter is no longer a positive place to be. I'm hanging in with it to stay connected to people I've learned so much from, but I'm finding more connections with LinkedIn alongside dipping my toes into Mastodon.  

From a work perspective, this image represents my year. Do you think it means taking a chance on change? Or make a change to get a better chance? I think both-and will be the goal for the year. 

The number 23 is significant to me and I am happy to be in 2023 contemplating next steps across the board. Let me know if I can help your business do the same... what changes do you need to make? What cleanup are you doing post-pandemic to clear the decks for your next big adventure? 

Wow the landscape has shifted

My headline means two things to me today. First, the social media landscape. This was my post on Facebook this week. 

Social media is a mess right now. The new Facebook interface is convinced I want to be one of the groups I support all day long (and not myself) which completely confused a friend this morning. Twitter keeps changing its interface and asking me to give them money (no way, you should be grateful I'm still logging in and seeing any of the ads on the site). Instagram keeps sending me videos of strangers describing knitting hacks in languages I don't understand (and I'm not entirely sure why except for the one "how to crochet a penguin video" I did watch once about six months ago). I'm not job hunting so LinkedIn is not a destination and I prefer to read instead of watching videos so YouTube is not the best place for me either. 

But, I do like to know what you're all doing. Going to try to keep hanging in here to see the people I love doing the things that they love and chuckling about LOTR memes and Mariah Carey on her way.

It's getting worse. And now I see people going to Mastodon, Tumblr, Reddit and Discord. I'm in a few of those places, but I'm not sure that this business needs to reinvent itself again in social. I'll keep this blog going and I'll stay active on LinkedIn, but I think I'll be closing my Twitter account after I get my data. I don't use it enough and he doesn't get to count it. 

And now my second point.

The freelance world has changed since the pandemic. I used to see dozens of options available to connect with potential clients for reasonable rates and now FIVERR is advertising on TV, PhDs are taking editing jobs, and more people have jumped into the remote world. Many of the places where I used to find gig work at night (EST) are already finished by the time I can log in. I'm happy for the companies but sad my routine is broken. I will be honest I was hoping that my business model would last another 20 years, but the world changes constantly. 

I am fortunate to not be desperate enough to write for pennies. I am also fortunate that I am not homebound and can flex in different ways to support myself and my family. After a few months of frustration, I am moving forward again with a new part-time gig and it's exactly the bridge I needed. When it's time for me to leave my full-time job, I'll be able to focus more on Off Peak again.

How are you navigating this changing landscape? 

How much work will you take on?

This headline might give some people pause about hiring me someday, but I've realized that there are some lines in my work life that I won't cross. 

I am proud to work full-time for UB and their needs are the top of my list of things to do, but luckily for me there is an end to the work day.  I still check social and things like that but that's not necessarily "work" in the grand scheme of things. I like to help people. 

So, my freelance life starts after 6pm during the week and takes over on the weekends. I usually have a couple of clients to manage and so I have fun things to work on all the time.  I also do a lot of volunteering.  Even though I'm busy, I always respond to client queries.  You never know how something new can fit into the current list of projects and sometimes I learn something that helps everyone. 

Recently I was asked to take an editing test for a potential client.  I really liked the idea of the work, it was going to be a lot of captioning of legal files and I am really good at captioning.  However, I've never worked for any legal firms and I have no clue about the formatting they wanted. They sent very few instructions and expected me to figure it out. It dawned on me about an hour into this formatting challenge that if they were not interested in helping me succeed then I didn't need to work for them. I asked one question and was told I had all the information I needed. Since I did not, I won't be working for them in the future. 

Another potential client asked me to draft some blog posts for them and asked for images to accompany the text. When I asked how to add alt text to their CMS, they told me not worry about it. I sent them a link to the WCAG standards and removed myself from consideration.  I won't support any website not interested in accessibility.

So, my original question. How much work will you take on? I'll take on any project that won't harm my current clients, that won't exhaust me so that I can't do my regular job, and where I can learn as I go and have training or support if needed. 

Flexibility in the work space

One of the hardest lessons to learn as a freelancer is how to juggle the ebb and flow of available work. This dynamic sometimes pushes freelancers to seek more work during a quiet time than they can handle during the busy times.

It is also hard to tell when a freelance gig has reached its end-of-life. Sometimes I've pulled the plug and other times the client pulled the plug, but the nature of contract work is that it will end. And no matter how much you like the work, the project is over. 

This is why continuously updating your skills and staying connected helps you in the marketplace. How do you keep expanding your freelance circle? 

Alignable

 It's a new year and there is a new app for businesses.  I was recently invited to Alignable (see my profile) and I've spent a few hours looking around.  It seems to be a more personal LinkedIn experience geared to smaller businesses.

Have you joined it? What are your thoughts?

Tagging Links in PDFs

I am writing this post mostly to not lose this very useful piece of info that I read today.

I was working on remediating a PDF for a new client and there were several links that had been mismarked by the first person who had reviewed the PDF.

This article by Lynn Pacquin solved all my problems in about five minutes.

Her thoughts (copied and edited below)

To be accessible, each link in a PDF document must have three tags (in this order):

• a parent tag.
• a child tag.
• a child document content tag. 

The tag alerts a screen reader to the presence of the link. Acrobat tags each URL by adding a document content tag to the tag tree, but it does not also add a tag. A link that does not have a tag is considered an unmarked link and is inaccessible to assistive technology.

You must locate all instances of unmarked links in the tag tree, and then add tags to them, by following these instructions

1. In the Tags tab, choose Options & Highlight Content, and then choose Options & Find. 
2. In the ind Element dialog box, select Unmarked Links from the Find drop-down menu. 
3. Click Find. The first unmarked link is highlighted on the page. 
4. Close the Find dialog box. Use the select tool to select text that is near the link, then choose Options & Find Tag From Selection. 
5. In the Tags tab, select the document content tag for the link (the tag that names the URL), and then choose Options & New Tag. 
6. In the New Tag dialog box, select Link as the tag type and click OK. A tag appears below the selected document control tag. Drag the document content tag down to be the child of the tag. 
7. Select the tag, choose Options & Find, and then select Unmarked Links from the Find drop-down menu. 
8. Click Find. Acrobat finds the URL that you have been tagging. 
9. In the Find Element dialog box, click Tag Element. The following two things happen: - A tag appears as a child to the tag directly above the document content tag. The tagging for this link is complete. - Acrobat highlights the next unmarked link in the document. 
10. As needed, repeat steps 4 through 9 on the rest of the unmarked links in the document.

A custom coat

For Christmas, my aunt gifted me wool she inherited. The clearing out of closets is a whole series of posts for a future time, but suffice it to say, my relatives have been strongly encouraged to go into drawers that have been ignored for a while. She found several pieces of beautiful fabric and wanted at least one converted into something new. So, we set out to find a tailor. Most people told me to leave Buffalo and head to Toronto or New York City to have a coat made, but we went to Chayban's instead. He took one look at the fabric, agreed it was beautiful, quoted me $600 and took my measurements. One fitting later (only needed to adjust shoulders and determine the final length) and I'll have a custom coat in one month.

I admit that I was surprised when he quoted me that figure. But, now that I've gone through the fitting process I realize that I got a great deal. His experience was worth every penny for something I'll have for the rest of my life.

When you decide you need something done, and you go find the right person to do the work, pay them what they are worth.

Snow days!

It's the snowiest I can remember in years but this means that I get a chance to catch up on correspondence, freelance work and other piles around my house.  It also gives me a chance to look for new opportunities.  If you're looking for a freelance editor or writer to help with some projects down the road please feel free to connect. I'd love to hear from you catherine_donnelly AT yahoo DOT com.  Stay safe and warm!

A new book published!

My aunt has had a dream for years to create a book about my uncle and one of his childhood adventures.  We finally made it happen!

Her first book, called "A True Christmas Story", has been completed and is not available.  You can see it at  http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/TrueChristmasStory. 

I have to give Lulu credit for a pretty easy process.  My learning curve was a bit steep, I've never designed a book before, but once I got into it, it went well.  Excellent customer service so far.  We're ordering her holiday gifts tonight!

I am going to turn this into an e-book next.  And then we'll see what other ideas people want to get published.  Now that I know how to do this, I'm adding to my list of editing services.  Let me know if you have a book you need help getting to the final proof stage!

Hello November

I see you November, hanging out just past Halloween.  I'm getting all of the NaNoWriMo emails. I'm seeing Christmas decorations in the stores.  I cannot believe we are here right now. 

It has been a busy fall.  Empty nesting is not quiet.  All of the invitations that we pushed to the fall, when we expected to have free time, meant that we had no free time as the weeks rolled.  And as the holidays start to kick in I realize I still have books to read, and projects to knit, and rooms to clean out.

On a bright note, my aunt's book is in the final proof stage, I've emptied a room completely in my house and will be re-purposing it to empty many other boxes around my house, I "think" I have a plan for several other projects and I just welcomed a new client to my freelance business. 

What do you still have left to do this year?

Cheap computer

So, I bought myself a cheap laptop.  It's a Packard Bell  N1400BK and I got it from JCPenney.  They sell them. Really.

Anyway, it is perfect for what I need, which is to connect to the internet and run Microsoft Office so that I can freelance from anywhere. I don't need games or storage on this device, I just need to be able to travel without carrying the monster machine I "got" as a hand-me-down from the kids.

Last night I had to do a Windows update. Took hours.  One of the drawbacks to this simple computer is a lack of storage on it. This has a whopping 2GB DDR3L-RS DRAM 1600MHz system memory. I had to scrub files just to complete the update.

So, today I am learning how to modify my device. Found a few helpful bits of code. Sharing for my own use in the future and if it helps you too.

Decrease the hibernation file:
Open Command line as an admin
Type  powercfg/ H / SIZE 40 (changes the size to 40% which I understand is the minimum for allowing hibernation to work. I don't really use that, so went low)

Remove useless apps.
Open Windows Powershell, right click to run as admin
Type Get-AppxPackage *program* | Remove-AppxPackage

I was able to remove xbox and zunemusic. Debating others to remove. Hat tip to Tech Advisor for this info.

Evolution

Recently I think I started a transition and now that I'm in the thick of things, I'm not quite sure when it started.  When people talk about time flying, it usually means that milestones stack up with very few unique markers breaking them up.  If you have children your signposts are probably the start of school, the winter holidays, spring break, and the last day of school.  Then a short summer and do it again.  Rinse, repeat.

Now that my kids are grown, I'm finding different markers in my life.  Some of these are sad (co-workers get new jobs, friends move away, death comes too soon) but many offer the potential for happiness. I am overwhelmed with the possibilities and find myself trying to decide where I go next.  My client shifting has opened up a ton of free time for me.  My kids moving out means I have lots of extra space to spread out for new projects. My bookshelf is full.  It's almost too much freedom after being so structured for so long.

While I hem and haw about the next "big thing" I've decided to help my aunt get her book published, to help my Dad sort through his house and to clear out the project pile in my workroom.  Each one of those activities will teach me a new skill that might open up more freelancing and will help me come to peace with my middle age.  My mom's passing showed me how a lack of planning impacts the next generation, I'm not doing that to my kids if I can help it. 

Freelance: What it means to me

My culling post generated some interesting conversation which made me go consider the definition of a freelancer and what it means to me.  I googled the term and liked the description from Merriam-Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freelance.  I never considered the mercenary Middle Ages concept before (but duh, an extra lance for hire makes sense) but the word seems to trigger different reactions.

To me, freelancing means freedom, but I think to a lot of other people it means free. I like the freedom of learning new things, helping my clients, and being able to help cover some expenses while doing that. I think for many people looking to hire talent, it is a way to get "free"  or very cheap help.  The global world makes this possible up to a point. I'm curious to see how it continues to evolve.  

Culling client list

I made one of the hardest decisions any freelancer can make yesterday. I terminated a client contract.

This client connected with me almost three years ago, he had seen my work via a friend of his and he wanted me to work for him.  I had pretty steady work with his company until several months ago when he changed the terms of the workflow. There were now additional steps that he wanted for each of the completed projects in order to consider them finished.  These tasks doubled the amount of time I was spending on his work, but there was no noticeable change to my compensation.

When I sat down to do my taxes and realized how much time I was spending on his company I realized that I was losing ground.  My freelance business is a small part of my week compared to all of the other things that I do, so I need to make every hour count to justify taking that time away from my family.

I sent a request to update my profile with his company to change the types of projects I was being asked to complete and the result was a complete lack of work for two weeks. 

Thus, I decided to end the working relationship.  This is a really hard choice for a freelancer to make. There is always a fear about not being able to replace the client. However, at this point in my professional career, I know that I am worth what I charge.

Internet Access

It appears I'm spoiled where I live and work. No issues ever accessing the internet. Lots of wifi connections I can make and when I absolutely need to do it, I have easy access to the cloud and can turn on my personal hotspot. 

Last week I visited northern California along the coast.  It was a place called Jenner, about two hours north of Oakland.  Very limited wifi access.  My phone did not work, the house we rented had SLOW access and the towns nearby only worked in the wide open spaces.  Normally on vacation this is not a bad thing, but I had a freelance deadline in the middle of the trip.  So, I got a little freaked out when I could only get my computer to connect when standing in the middle of the bedroom.

I managed to meet the deadline and also managed to avoid jobs before I headed back to the airport.  But it was an eye opening moment to realize a few things. First, how dependent I have become on internet access. Secondly, how I never considered California to be remote. Finally, how the lack of land lines will be an issue if the internet gets throttled.

Freelance Growth

So, 2015 was my best freelance year since 1998.

1998 is when I went back to work full-time so that I could stop working night/weekends and spend time with my family.  Most of the work from 1998-2014 were special projects that I did when tuition was due or when there was a conference in Buffalo etc.  Then last year my family got so busy that I had a lot of free nights and weekends to work at home again.

So, now I balance my full-time job with a lot of really interesting freelance projects.  The internet has created opportunities for me that I never could have imagined when I started to phase away from doing that freelance stuff full-time. Now I can see huge potential in the future and I'm really excited about where it is going. 

EDX Post 2

So, the second post is due today and I decided to share my story about proofreading. Publishing it here again just to prove it is my original work (if that ever comes up).

***

As we move through the EDX course I am being reminded about information I learned long ago and am being challenged to improve my writing. Years of being asked for short summaries at work and writing for social media have hampered my creative writing abilities. I am going to try to write more after this course and see what I can create. 

That said, the most valuable thing about this class so far was reading blogs from the class. I do some freelance work and spend time proofreading papers for individuals for whom English is not their first language. I’ve read some really amazing pieces of work and am pleased when I can help turn a phrase or make their meaning clear.  

My favorite example of what I do for those clients came very shortly after I started that job. I was reading a paper from someone whose primary language was Asian.  They were describing some individuals and were trying to portray enthusiasm and exuberance in their account.  As I was reading along a phrase appeared just wasn’t right. They had written “it was above the wall.”

For the life of me I went blank. I knew that wasn’t right but I really struggled to determine the meaning. I ended up flagging the line, finished the chapter and then went back. Upon the second review it dawned on me that what they wanted to say was “it was over the top.”

I finished editing it and believe that I maintained the spirit they wanted to portray. It was an eye-opening experience of how sometimes terms just don’t translate well.  I hope it has made me a better editor and listener in that I want to hear what a person is trying to say even if the words come out jumbled.