Archive for January, 2010
Car Industry Woes
Jan 29th
The second hand car industry in this country is in a serious slump.
So they should be, with the unjustifiably high prices that they are attempting to keep the market buoyant with.
People aren’t buying. Even armed with cheap auto insurance, buyers are holding out for better deals and refusing to pander to the unrealistic demands of the dealers. Yes, everyone has a living to make, but there is a difference to making a living, and making a rip off.
It’s gone on too long in this country and now the dealers are suffering, sometimes they’re offering what appears to be a ludicrously good deal i.e. buy this BMW and get a citi golf for free (not a real deal but they exist in a similar fashion), when really what they should be doing is simply lowering the prices.
But will they?
Possibly Related Posts:
- Working Abroad and Sales Leads
- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
- 3 Hours Sleep
- Cars
The Fascination with Things
Jan 29th
There appear several things, for a man, which are symbols of success. I have yet to meet a man who does not associate certain items with the idea of luxury, refinement and class.
Good whiskey, whether single malt or blend seems to be one of them. Leather wingback chairs. Wood paneled studies or libraries if you’re lucky. A selection of good quality White Owl cigars on hand, for I don’t know, some dignitary to visit. I would go so far as to talk about silk smoking jackets too, if they didn’t remind me so vividly of Hugh Hefner!
What is it about these things that men find so fascinating? Can anyone tell me? Is it from a childhood spent watching James Bond movies, sitting behind the leather paneled desk, flicking open a secret compartment to press a button, to have famous painting spin in place on the wall revealing a hidden screen on which you could watch the cold war play out in real time?
Beats me.
I’m more of a Star Trek girl myself.
Ha ha.
Possibly Related Posts:
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- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
- 3 Hours Sleep
- Cars
Decking Out a New Office Space
Jan 23rd
We may have found a new rental today! After months of searching this new area that we like, we have found one that totally suits our purposes for the next 12 months at least.
But it does mean one thing.
The ‘M’ word.
You know.
“Moving”.
I don’t mind moving *so* much, in fact I wholeheartedly welcome the opportunity to ‘purge’ all unnecessary stuff that just seems to accumulate when you live in one place for more than a year. The good thing is also, that although we will be moving our home office as well (if we get the house) but that the room we will be using for our home office already has roller shades installed, so at least that’s one less thing we’ll have to worry about. In fact we have enough curtaining, and such to suit the new place, but I am seriously considering ditching our old furniture in favour of something a little more updated.
But first, I suppose we have to wait and see if our application is accepted! Fingers crossed!
Possibly Related Posts:
- Working Abroad and Sales Leads
- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
- 3 Hours Sleep
- Cars
Working on Your Own Projects
Jan 23rd
I’ve been developing a website on a subject that is very close to my heart.
Being a freelancer, or more particularly, a work at home mom that is a freelancer seeking to support other wahms.
No one can fully understand the stresses that work at home moms go through, aside from other work at home moms! Nearly ever task of every day comes with a beautifully wrapped present which turns out to be first class tickets to Guilt-ville. Not spending enough time on that crazy hectic project that requires so much of your closest concentration? How about not finding the time to strap the littlest one into his Bob stroller when the weather clears and actually take that walk, because the project is calling you? How about not getting all the household cleaning, shopping or cooking done? Or more likely, getting only parts of each of your tasks done, leaving you feeling guilty about absolutely everything.
Yes, being a work at home mom is extremely tough, and it takes a very special breed of person.
Possibly Related Posts:
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- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
- 3 Hours Sleep
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Drawing the Line
Jan 19th
Drawing the line between me-time and work-time can be really difficult as a freelancer and a wahm.
Particularly if like me, you’re planning on embarking on a work out program.
Just today I was looking at the website of a company that offers thrice-weekly workout groups locally. Their meeting time is 8h15am and it would be perfect for me to swing by there right after the school run. But naturally the temptation is to come home to get straight to work. Time is money. Time is productive.
One has to factor in post-workout shower and changing time as well, and all that eats into the few hours that I have available to work. However, I have to consider that working out will keep me sane and healthy and keep stress levels down too, and the website I visited had really inspiring weight loss stories, so I’m sorely tempted to sign up.
How do you balance work vs work-out time on limited hours?
Possibly Related Posts:
- Working Abroad and Sales Leads
- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
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Are You Brand Loyal?
Jan 18th
Branding is used to convey authenticity, a sense of class, quality and worth.
How much has the global economic meltdown altered our perspective on global and local brands?
These days, with so many lay-offs and retrenchments by big corporations, the branding of those corporations is no longer inspiring trust and loyalty in its consumers, and in many cases it is the complete opposite.
Are you a brand conscious person?
Are you still able to afford the very top brands that you used to enjoy? Does having the best anti wrinkle cream still seem as important to you as having those extra dollars, cents, euros and pounds at the end of the month? I would be interested to hear the answers to these questions.
Possibly Related Posts:
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- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
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- Cars
Kids and Freedom of Expression
Jan 18th
My kids are loving this song right now.
It’s hilarious, given they have no idea what it is about, but boy do they dance to it! They look a bit like the people in the video when they’re dancing down the passage toward the camera. It’s wonderful to watch them, they are so unselfconscious and just move the way they feel to the music. Even my little 21 month old boy bops away swinging his hips and dancing on the spot, giggling like mad.
I’m sure if I could just catch them on video tape, dancing to this music, I could probably make a fortune and get it to go viral on YouTube! It really is the cutest thing!
I always laugh like crazy when they’re dancing, because it is the most joyful thing to behold. So question, if laughter is the best medicine, and keeps you young? What about all the wrinkle cream you need to use for the laugh lines?
Possibly Related Posts:
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- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
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Personal Budget Software
Jan 16th
What do you use for personal budget software?
With the economy being what it is, people are no longer spending their money at will, but rather accounting for every last penny, nickel and dime.
One of the best ways to do this is to use a software package on your home computer or those available online that can help you see where you’re spending your money, and help you to set limits to prevent accidental overspending. Once again, people are looking to save money, invest and live within their means as the economy slowly warms up again.
Not only is this important for a household, but of course also in a small business, particularly when you are a wahm, or an entrepreneur who operates as a sole trader, because finances can become confusing very quickly when business and personal transactions are combined, and using personal budget software is just one way to help you succeed at your endeavours.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Working Abroad and Sales Leads
- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
- 3 Hours Sleep
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Skincare Products
Jan 16th
Skin care products are a veritable mine field when it comes to choosing one for yourself.
Many dermatologists still recommend the old adage of ’soap and water’ and some will even go so far as to claim that 90 % of skin care products have no effect whatsoever.
However, where do we as consumers go to find the truth? If the truth varies from one dermatologist to another, where on earth is the information that we need.
If you suffer from acne, the effects are often more psychological, and self esteem issues become a greater problem than the acne itself, and at least if we are able to read up on exposed skin care, then at least we are able to decide for ourselves.
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- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
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The Difficult Concept
Jan 14th
I have heard that when you work for a large design agency or ad agency, that your role as a designer tends to be more clearly defined. They have copywriters and editors and a plethora of other job roles to cover an advertising concept, leaving the design part to you, as the graphic designer.
However, when you work for yourself you tend to be more open to taking on a much broader view, especially during the time when you are trying to win new clientele and taking on the smaller enterprise market. It can be quite a challenge stretching yourself to come up with the catchy headline, the witty tagline, when it’s a product that you are unfamiliar with.
Well then, just like Helen Hunt did as Darcy Maguire in “What Women Want” starring alongside Mel Gibson at the fictitious agency Sloane Curtis, when she handed her execs a bunch of products and told them to test them out in order to be able to better brainstorm ideas.
What if your client is a local spa, and they’ve retained you as their advertising designer of choice, and they come to you with their new offering, which involves a facial, a manicure and pedicure, followed by an earth shatteringly brilliant colon cleanse?
Then they invite you try the package in order to better understand and brainstorm their ad campaign.
What do you do?
Possibly Related Posts:
- Working Abroad and Sales Leads
- Yet Another Reason Why Freelancing Rocks
- Making things happen for yourself
- 3 Hours Sleep
- Cars
