Open For Business

The first night I was back, I woke up in the dark not knowing where I was. The problem: there is only a bed in the bedroom where we sleep. No furniture, nothing on the walls. We didn't even have nightstands at that point. So, inspired by the fear of living in a placeless place, I've been trying to make the second floor a little bit more livable every day.

I found us nightstands - and two separate lights in the bedroom so we can read. I removed the 40-year-old metal blinds and hung curtains in two rooms. I hung a shower curtain! We moved D's dresser into the closet. But, in general, the rooms still range from spare...

...to construction zone.

I'm sure those pictures look eerily familiar to other housebloggers. However, somehow in the midst of this emptiness and chaos, a real room developed! Even more surprisingly, it turns out to be a home office...for me!

Behold:

You might recall Baubie's convertible coffee table that has now been "converted" into a desk. The chair and rug are from D's parents and were in the living room. The filing cabinets and bulletin boards are from my previous home organization attempts (only partially successful). The black wire shelves used to hold my yarn.

That's the grey "third" bedroom, the one I said might become "a guest room, nursery, or home office for K." So then, let me explain why this seems so bizarre. When I wrote that, I had no intention of creating a home office, of working at home, of being my own boss.

D. and I. had long conversations last spring - before we even knew we were moving to Smallville, and again when we were looking at houses - about the option of my becoming a freelancer. I have 13 years of experience in marketing and fundraising communications for non-profits. I could offer writing, editing, web development, publications, and planning services to clients. The benefits: allow me time to finish up school, transition to my next career as a holistic healer, and maybe even start a family. The disadvantages: well, you know this story, it's just really really really risky, financially. And that wasn't a risk we were willing to take, especially when we had not a single clue about what the market would be like in an Historic Burg like ours. So we jettisoned that idea, jumped into more debt than we ever thought was imaginable to buy our beloved home, and I threw myself into the task of finding a good, stable, well-paying, full-time job.

Which I've been doing.

I'm working the contacts, networking my little heart out, meeting people, and making connections. I am very focused on wanting a job at the college. The people there are friendly, smart, and familiar. Plus they offer outstanding benefits, including a whopping 19 weeks of maternity leave. And a $3,000 benefit for adoption. And 22 vacation days a year. Plus the week between Christmas and New Years off. Oh, and did I mention how smart and nice and friendly the people are? How about the fact that it's a pleasant four-block walk through the center of town to get there?

Meanwhile, back at the Universal Synchronicity Ranch, some deity or spirit or fate or fortune has decided that everyone should offer me freelance work! Honestly, people are throwing the work my way. No sooner do I tell people what I do than they say "Oh we really need that here." No sooner do I meet someone than they say they want to give me a gig. The projects are coming out of the rafters.

So, last week, D. and I looked at each other, shrugged, and said "Okay, let's see where this goes." And I pulled together the office that looks like it was always meant to be there. My business motto is "Make do with what you got." Very small-town, Pioneer Woman, farmer wife of me, don't you think? It's practical though. I don't want to make financial investments in this (even simple office supplies) venture until I have an idea of how well it will work.

I'm still working the angles for that plum job at the college, after all. But in the meantime, I'm not turning away the work. I'm making actual wages to supplement my beloved unemployment insurance.

Speaking of, I should actually be getting back to that paying work for clients that's making this all possible!

But, hey, drop me a line if you need any communications services. I'm Open For Business.