Filling In The Blanks

Currently in the midst of a very productive spurt of personal activity, today marking 11 out of 12 days where I've worked either freelancing or catering. Last week worked Monday-Thursday at LT, off Friday, then catering Saturday & Sunday evenings, followed by Monday-Wednesday LT, where I sit again today, just waiting for something to cross my desk here. The other day M. told me he would need me only Thursday OR Friday, but then A. called out of the blue and told me that C.D. at C. B. wanted me for a project EITHER Thursday or Friday. I checked back with M. & we decided on Friday, so yesterday (Thursday) I got to fill in the "off" day with a full shift going over the latest edition of a textbook, which C. told me was scheduled to have a print run of 300,000 copies. I was hoping it would turn into a multi-day project, but I was able to complete it in one long day.

I had to compare this year's proofs to last year's edition, making sure all the test sections looked exactly the same, down to page borders, font size, etc., something like 500 pages' worth. But I worked hard, giving them their money's worth, to the point where my eyes were going crazy by the time I got outta there at around 6:30. An added bonus was the free food the company puts out for their employees. I don't know if it was left over from a meeting, but my ears perked up when I heard someone mention there was food in the pantry, and over the course of the day I consumed two or three mini muffins, a small apple pastry, half a turkey sandwich, some pasta, a banana, a few cookies, a hot chocolate... I was all over that food spread like Mark Foley at a Young Republicans convention. But for some reason I was ravenous all day and went out in search of chicken noodle soup, but after a stop at the C.B. cafeteria and then a quick walk around the lower 60s and Columbus Ave. proved not only fruitless but ultimately soupless, I hit a nearby hot dog stand for a lukewarm frank with mustard, onions and kraut, unsatisfying to my discriminating palette, spoiled by all those years of delicious free dogs at my Uncle George's cart at William & John Street when I worked downtown, proving all dogs are not the same.

But in between my chowin' I buckled down with no computer to distract me. When I turn it on, my work ethic is unparalleled -- in the good sense of the word. Usually in the past they had me comparing hard copy to the online version, but this time there wasn't even a computer at the workspace where I sat, but I got over 8 hours of work there, and CB pays slightly more per hour than LT.

Monday I have a catering gig at night, in addition to the usual LT shift that day. I've been averaging 4 days here steadily since late June, so I must be doing something right. And not to flog a deceased thoroughbred anymore than absolutely necessary, but I feel more certain than at any previous point that I made the right decision not to work at the hotel and instead continue pursuing my lucrative freelance career. Luckily LT came along when it did, and with CB and S.Comm in the loop, in addition to the catering, which will probably average around two events a week, things are looking up. I just figured I made over 700 beans this week with the four LT shifts and the one-day CB gig, which is a pretty good week in the freelance biz.

Also, I edit the occasional foodservice proposal, and I have another one to go over today, about 3 or 4 pages, which is another coupla hours of work; I just went over it once, but I like to put it down and come back to it after a while and look at it fresh. So far I haven't had any calls for EagleEye Proofreading, my own editing/proofreading company of which I spoke to you of which in a previous post in a galaxy far far away, but I haven't put up all that many business cards. I carry them around with me every day, but then I get home and I realize I forgot to leave them anywhere. I did find out the other day I may now be eligible for benefits from A., my freelance agency, because I've got enuf hours built up now. I will talk to P.C. at the Chicago office later and find out more about it, as well as about any training I can take. As usual, you-all will be the first to know what I know as soon as I know it...