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Kathryn Mayer • Writing Out Loud

I write stuff down. writer • humorist • activist

Earning & Momming Done Good. Real Good.

January 22, 2011 by Kate Mayer 8 Comments

Image courtesy ACareerChange

Been a little busy around here, you know, with all the friggin’ SNOW DAYS and SCHOOL DELAYS and EARLY DISMISSALS that wreck havoc on every parent that works at home.

Or attempts to work at home. Better yet, give me an office, cubicle, desk, or cubbie anywhere but here. Because with 5 snow days down, and winter far from over, I want out of this house.

Give me a job, any job, and the kids can Lord-of-the-Flies it here at home. Good luck kiddos.

Between blizzards (three in last 10 days) and basketball games (4 this weekend alone), soccer clinics (two), track meets (two), swim meets (one), midterms, Skyping college girl, Pasta Night fundraisers, and orientation night for incoming freshman *breathe* I’m finding a small window to update you on my quest to contribute financially to the economic well-being of our family.
Last year was, quite frankly, awesome.

In the spreadsheet my geeky, rather-attractive, self-proclaimed-Excel-guru husband set up,
I saw quite clearly I far exceeded my modest goal for 2010, and did so with piddly little jobs here and there that actually did add up to something quite substantial by year’s end.

And I did it while still maintaining the momming ability to drive to and attend said school, music, swim, track, basketball, lax and soccer events. Which means working 8-2 most days, and piece-mealing jobs wherever and whenever I could grab some free wi-fi and 20 minutes of uninterrupted thinking.

Which was not often.

But considering in 2009 I made ZILCH, and the year before, earned less than 2 car payments, this year has been outstanding.When I realized my success, I asked rather-attractive-husband where that money went. He looked at me with surprise.

It went to Costco. And Olympia Sports. And soccer registration and vacation and new cleats and Christmas. And gas and groceries and transmissions and pharmacy and vet bills and haircuts and prom and docs.

Instead of an extra emergency tuition/slush fund, my income paid the bills that paycuts, disappearing bonus checks and furlough took away.

Oh.

And so the new year has begun, with one part-time gig of 20 hours a week vanishing, another part-time position maxing at 5 hours/week, and a very lucrative freelance gig belly-up. So I’m back at it again. Looking, networking, and learning what I need to know so I can land a few more jobs that will hopefully, a year from now, snowball into a substantial contribution to Costco. And car repairs. And cleats and trumpets and dog food.

I’m back to cruising Craigslist and Monster, LinkedIn and Twitter, but better yet, the online community of Comeback Moms, Women for Hire, Work at Home Moms, and MomCorps.com. (Not affiliated with any.)

As well as my most lucrative networking tool: working the bleachers and pool decks and soccer sidelines (affiliated with all) and telling everybody I know what I do, that I’m looking, and am ready and willing and able to work within their timeline and budget.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were a writer. What do you write?”

Whatever you want, people. Whatever you want.


Schools Closed. Snow Day #4
Child Labor Laws Can Kiss My Snowblower

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    January 23, 2011 at 2:03 am

    Congratulations on surpassing your goal! There are multi-taskers and something called cobblers. Both mean you have many jobs at once; related to each other or not. I’m thinking you (busy mom) are in both categories. 🙂

    One of my favourite sites to connect with for jobs, volunteer ops and education is CharityVillage.com

    Updated regularly it is a great site to get connected through paid or unpaid opportunities.

    Jennifer

    Reply
  2. Michelle Saunderson says

    January 23, 2011 at 2:27 am

    I am looking too, so I feel your pain. I was hoping that you were going to say you made a fortune on your blog so that I had hope……oh well, I will still chug along though….

    Reply
  3. Robin says

    January 23, 2011 at 3:23 pm

    Excel drives me to drink.

    Here’s to having work to keep track of, cheers!

    Reply
  4. Kathy (p/t writer, f/t mom) says

    January 23, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    Thanks for the words… and sorry michelle, but no big bucks here. Just venting and sharing and gaining social media experience thru trial by fire! Lots of clients are happy to know I have a blog that gets read. So, in fact, the blog does lead to jobs, but certainly not fortune! Keep chugging!

    will check out charityvillage.com now, jennifer -thx!

    Reply
  5. Java says

    January 24, 2011 at 2:13 am

    Hi!
    I am sorry but I have to delete your entry on the Meet Me on Monday linky because you did not participate and post your questions and answers in your post!
    I would love to have you join so please come back once you have your Meet Me On Monday post completed!
    Thanks!!

    Reply
  6. Kathy (p/t writer, f/t mom) says

    January 24, 2011 at 2:32 am

    trying to work out the details of your blog… posted in comments. my bad, perhaps another time!

    Reply
  7. Gotta Blog About It ! says

    January 27, 2011 at 11:30 pm

    Careful what you wish for!

    Reply
  8. Kathy (p/t writer, f/t mom) says

    January 28, 2011 at 12:56 am

    I KNOW I KNOW! The week after posting this and I have a buttload of work. Perhaps not a buttload, but an asscheek nevertheless! YIKES.

    Reply

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About Kathryn Mayer

Kathryn Mayer

An irreverent storyteller with a foul mouth and big heart, Kathryn Mayer (aka Kathy and/or Kate) is a writer, humorist, and activist writing out loud with humor and grace about little life moments with big ripples, including the space between parenting and aging parents, social issues, angsty reflections of midlife, and, sigh, gun humpers. Still. Sometimes a big deal, sometimes not Mayer is a national award-winning columnist, according to the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, and her essays have been recognized as Voice of the Year … Read More Here...

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