Stumbling upon a new venture...

Since September, I have been a happy, unemployed camper (i.e. housewife). It's given me the chance to travel to Europe and South Africa, discover new hobbies (welding, motorcycle riding), build up my tasty cooking skills and challenge myself with my photography skills - which is by far, my favorite when it comes to hobbies (photos)...but that can only last so long.

When the weather started to get a tad colder and rainer here (although it didn't last long), I figured that it was time to do something, I just wasn't sure what. I emailed my fitness trainer and asked if he had anything for available for me to help on. That's all it took for me to have my first client as a freelance producer. For the next couple of months, I'll be producing, shooting and editing over two hundred videos for a mobile phone application. It's nice to keep busy and have something new and creative to do. It was also the best excuse to get the new MacBook Pro, the full Adobe creative suites package and perhaps, eventually a new HD camera to work with.

One of the drawbacks that I am discovering is how to work from home. I spend about two days a week working at the studio and three days a week editing from home. It's been quite an adjustment to try and figure out how to work in my "office" without my pajamas on. What it took was a friend stopping by to fix our keg-a-rator only to have him find me in my pajamas and mismatching socks (I don't have the heart to throw away my perfectly good, wacky socks so the solo ones, I put together and wear around the house :)

It is quite nice to work for myself, especially since it gives me the flexibility to travel and work from anywhere in the world so not having a boss to ask for time off is an incredible experience. I've also had to create my own office although it's sad that I've taken over our dining table since I use two laptops to work. Perhaps that just means that we might need a bigger place at some point?! :-)

One by one...

...the penguins steal my sanity.

It starts to feel that way with the limited amount of work that I am doing. For the past couple of months, my company has felt the downturn of the economy. We're an advertising agency, with only seven people and the company has been around for over twenty years. It's a great company to work for and I really enjoy it. However it's become a little strenuous as a majority of our clients cut back their budget or are folding and I have two choices: work part time or file unemployment!

If the timing was different, I could start job hunting to find another advertising/production job. The only drawback of that is the upcoming year. How does one go job hunting when they need to disclose that they need to take a lot of time off in February, May and September for their own weddings (planning two long distance weddings is a lot of work)? I think that most employers would cross me off the list. So instead, I'm determined to hang in with my current company, endure the worst of the economy and just hope that it turns around so I can work again at full capacity.

The idleness drives me a little crazy though. What does one do with all this newfound free time? Coincidentally, it does open doors for more possibilities. My personal trainer needs a producer to help put together their workout videos. Great, that helps keep me a little bit busier and I get be productive in my field of work. I've also become a mean racquetball player. I've never been a sports girl. I used to play baseball and love to go to a batting cages but besides that, I have always lacked competitiveness. Until I started racquetball. It has become a great way for me to release this pent up stress that I have from the lack of work. Although my body has taken a toll as I endure running into the walls only to hit that damn ball!

Also starting in January, I am going to flower school. Sure, poke fun here but the main reason for it is so I can do all the flowers for our wedding. With all the time off, taking the classes and having an outlet for my creativity also helps me break this idleness that I currently have. There is only so much grocery shopping, library hunting and cleaning house that I can do.

I think that this all fills us about 5-8 hours of the remaining 20 hours that I have free nowadays. Any other suggestions for me to venture on to ensure that I keep myself busy? I really don't want those penguins to steal my sanity!