It’s been so long since I last wrote. Things have been pretty much uneventful since then–until now. I keep looking, but I have just a couple companies sending me work: the new one for which I edit/rewrite pop culture database entries, and the company I have been with for years, for which I proofread juvenile nonfiction books. The new work is picking up; it’s time-consuming and doesn’t pay well, but it’s interesting and I’m enjoying it. The old work is drying up; my main contact is cutting back on the number of manuscripts she handles and the company has had to cut back on the number of times it sends out books for proofing by half. I enjoy the work, but it is slow in coming. Through my main production ed. I received names of others who might be able to send me manuscripts, but so far I’m still waiting.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel–My husband may be taking another job. Notice that I didn’t say “new” job? It’s not exactly new; it’s the job he left to take the one he currently has, which, like a lot of my work, is fizzling out. I am ambivalent about this move, if it happens, and it looks as though it might. I like where he works now–it’s low key, laid back, unpretentious, and apolitical. The “new” job is in a swanky building, requiring dressing up (he doesn’t like to wear suits), answering to others, and playing office politics. These are some of the reasons he moved to where he currently works. The main reason, however, was an incorrigible boss, who is no longer employed at this branch. My husband will have to bill way more hours than he does now–another downside–but he will have a job with decent benefits (including medical and dental, something we’ve had to go without for some time), a retirement account, and vacation pay. Big-ticket items his current boss couldn’t swing with his small firm.
He seems excited, especially since his workload in the current place was dwindling down to a trickle and he was worried that his boss wouldn’t be able to keep him much longer, meaning he’d have to collect unemployment and be thrown to the wolves to look for another job.
So, we may be in for some positive changes.
