Is Working At Home Working?

Ever been to a high school reunion or ran into an old friend at the mall or grocery store? After the small talk and platitudes are out of the way, invariably we ask these questions. "How ya been?" "What have you been up to, and, my favorite, where are you working now?" Whenever someone asks me what I do, they are impressed with my answer. However, when I tell them where I work, I usually get one of these three reactions:

Reaction #1.: The eye roll, and the never-mentioned thoughts about how I will never get a job until I admit that I am unemployed.

Reaction #2.: A pat on the back and gently told not to panic because there are plenty of jobs available for 'people like me'.

Reaction #3.: Told that when I am ready to 'go back to work' to let them know because they know people who know people.

Well, I have a business and it's home-based; so let's start with reaction #1 shall we?

Reaction #1. Why do you think that just because I opt to sit in front of my computer in my pajamas, eat cheerios, drink my morning coffee, and discuss my client's high 3-digit proposal I need to admit anything? I hate to point this out, but in one morning, I will probably make more than you will--that week. Keep your eye rolling to yourself. I do not have the problem.

Reaction #2: People like me keep people like you employed. Think about it; your boss (the big one), probably started out as a small business owner, and might have worked out of his or her home at one point. So do not feel bad for people like me, you should rejoice that people like me exist. You need us. You may not like it, but it is the truth.

Reaction #3: Just because I sit at my computer and conduct business in my pajamas, does not mean I am not working. I suppose it never occurred to you that I do this because I need to be comfortable. ' Why would I need to be comfortable while I am working, if that is what I am really doing', you ask? Because unlike you with your regular 9-5 Monday through Friday work schedule, I work 10-12 hours a day, at least 6 days a week.

Now before you get offended, I am merely pointing out that self-employed people that work from their homes are not only employed, but also love what they do, and consciously take on great personal risk. I will be the first to admit that there are people in this world professing "self-employment" because they cannot find a job, or because they do not want to work and do not want people to know. However, these people are rare. Most of us are hard working, entrepreneurial self-starters that have more discipline than a veteran Marine. I might add that there was a time when most people were not only self-employed, but worked from home. Farmers, blacksmiths, butchers, cobblers, tailors...remember reading about them in your History class? In those days, you were considered a failure if you left home to find work. When did working out of your home go from being the acceptable method of work, to being something only the dredges and poor desperate souls of society would consider?

Have you ever thought of what a self-employed person goes through? The risks involved? Have you thought about how many self-employed people you know? Do you have a personal representative that you contact to buy makeup, cleaning supplies, or vitamin supplements? All of these people are self-employed and work from their homes. They buy the products, they recruit sellers, they find a market, and they sell their goods. You don't whisper 'Oh how sad...Marion has to sell Avon," do you? Of course not. In reality, you are more likely to reply "Marion, you got me for $50 bucks again!" as you write her a check.

You consider these people employed, but people in other professions that happen to work out of their homes are unemployable or in denial. You do make some exceptions however; writers and artists can work at home. Telecommuting is acceptable because, although these people work at home, someone else is actually paying them. But in your opinion, anyone that has to depend on their work performance and the integrity of their clients to get paid for work they do out of their home needs to wake up and admit that they have a problem.

You know, now that I think about it, you might be right. Maybe all of us self-employed people should have our heads examined. Why do we voluntarily put our livelihood in the hands of people that may or may not pay us after we have put our heart and soul into a project? Maybe we should go back into the regular workforce, do our 40 hours a week, collect our paycheck, leave all the self-employment hassles behind us and disown the whole home-business circus.

Nah! Frankly, I love being self-employed. I enjoy working in my pajamas, and completing projects for clients who felt that I was the best person to fill their needs. The marketing and selling of my services can sometimes be a drag and a drain on my personal life, but 99.9% of the time I enjoy my work. Most of all, I love being my own boss and making the rules. The hours are long, the pressure is tremendous, and although it is possible that I will not be paid any time I complete a project, being self-employed and knowing that I have preformed a service for my clients is worth it. And no amount of eye-rolling, disapproving looks, or condescending opinions will change my mind. I guarantee that many home-based business owners share my opinion.

The next time you run into an acquaintance that you have not seen recently be prepared. If you cannot resist asking them where they work, and their answer happens to be that they are self-employed, do not give the above-mentioned reactions. Try congratulating them. Ask them what they do and how their business is doing. Take a business card when one is offered, and when you get the opportunity; send some business their way.

Respectfully submitted,

K.A. Francis

(originally appeared - The Einkwell, September, 2000)
- posted by Kim @ 12:41 PM

 
This is my 42nd post in my blog. I started it in February.

It's official: I am the WORST blog keeper in the free world.

When I started this blog, I thought it would be an online diary. I had visions or getting comfy in my 'puter chair, my favorite cup of java steaming next to me and I would write at least one entry a night about the happenings in my day.

Well, that idea went up in flames pretty quick!

I don't know why I am not more frequent with my blog posting. I see enough stuff in the news that I should always have a entry ready. And yet, I find something else to do, or I talk myself out of it. Can you believe it? The always-opinionated KA Francis was declining the opportunity to share her views with the world. Go ahead, check and see if the planets are aligning. I'll wait.

....

Satisfied that the world is NOT coming to an end? Good. I think it would take more than my sproadic blogging to cause that anyway. At least a BIT more.

Recently though, I have been better at posting in this thing. I mean, what's the point of having a blog if you aren't going to say anything? It's not that I don't have anything to say, (yeah, I know, that's the understatment of the millenium) I just don't always have the proper motivation to say it, therefore I only post when I feel strongly about a topic. Perhaps it's the fact that I view this blog as a safe forum to post my opinions about things no matter how outrageous or controversial. Maybe if I thought I had hundreds of readers flocking to read what I have to say that would be incentive enough to write daily or at least weekly. But that hasn't happened. As far as I know, no one reads this blog. And if you are new to reading Comments From the Peanut Gallery, please don't judge the whole blog by this rmabling manifesto. There are better entries...just scroll down...

I guess this is a plea folks. If you read my blog, could you help me out and drop me a line and let me know what you think? I'll be honest, I'm going to keep the blog whether anyone emails or not, but it would be nice to know if others are reading it. My email address is theclassicquill@aol.com

Okay, that was my whining/shamless plea for the day...month...year. If I get the urge, I might post something else later this evening. Otherwise, have a good one all!
- posted by Kim @ 10:39 PM

 
The Official Keith Hamilton Cobb Site - Home

I Could Sop Him Up With A Biscuit He's So Yummy!

I am in love with this man! I would pack up my stuff, leave my husband and maybe even the kid and follow this man anywhere!

Those of you who watched All My Children in the 90's, Andromeda up to last season, or currently watch Young and the Restless will know who this man is. For the rest of you poor uninformed women out there...click the link.

I am not a "oh my God, you are my favorite actor...can I have your autograph?" kinda gal. I don't normally go gaa gaa over famous people. But KHC is so easy on the eyes, I think that if I were to ever meet him I would be a puddle of goo..at least for a second. I would hope that I would quickly collect my composure and be able to carry on a decent, maybe even intelligent conversation with the man. Otherwise, how could we ever connect and run away together?

Why is this worthy of a blog entry? Why not?
- posted by Kim @ 1:30 AM

 
AOL News - Rush Under Fire

(Okay, I know that those of you not on AOL or non-users of AOL.com can't read the above link, but I'm sure you've heard the news by now. If you want, just google "Rush Limbaugh, drugs, florida" and you should get plenty of hits.

Anyway, after all that, this is what I have to say:

It makes sense. A person as closed-minded, anal and generally obnoxious as Mr. Limbaugh could only be that way by benefit of chemical influence. Okay, well, it enhances it. I have to believe that. I cannot believe that a person can be that petty and mean-spirited all on their own. There has to be external influences. Otherwise, what does that say about the human mind, the human condition?

Okay, I'm done waxing. I'm going back to work.
- posted by Kim @ 1:10 AM

 
In my last post I mentioned "stereotypical poor and black people". I also mentioned that is was worthy of its own rant.

As promised, here it is.

What, praytell is a stereotypical black or poor person? What is a stereotypical anything?

There is no such thing people. You don't believe me: fine. Here's the definition of a "stereotype":

something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially : a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment

In other words: someone sees someone doing something and decides that since this person is doing it, then all people like that person must do it too.

Okay, let's try an example:

Mavis sees Leslie sitting on her rear end in front of the tv, eating bon bons, letting her house go to hell, and letting her kids run all over the neighborhood making trouble. If Mavis and Leslie are both of the same race, then Mavis would never think that all people of their race acted that way, since they were the same race.

Now, let's pretend that Mavis is black and Leslie is white. (Y'all thought I was going to do it the other way around, didn't you? Shame on y'all!) Now, if Leslie was the only white person Mavis knew, then she might assume that all white women acted this way. Which is stupid. I mean, everyone knows that white women only eat yougurt. Dannon..fruit on the bottom...

I digress...

This is how stereotypes get started. One person does something stupid, someone else witnesses it and they in turn stupidly assume that everyone like that person does the same stupid thing. And have you ever noticed that stereotypes are never positive? Even a stereotypical comment is, at best, a backwards compliment. You know what I mean: "Black people are all good at sports..cuz they were born to run": "All Jews are rich..because they are greedy and cheat in business": "Latinos are good cooks and housekeepers...because that's all they can do for a living"

You get the point.

Stereotypes are..well stupid. They make zero sense, and are perpetuated by people who are too lazy to learn the truth about someone or something. It is easier to just lump everyone together than it is to find out the real reasons.

So now I am going to take my lazy butt out of this blog, log off, plop myself down on the couch, watch some TV and eat...cashews.

You thought I was going to say Bon bons didn't you? Tsk tsk tsk...
- posted by Kim @ 10:10 PM

 
abc7news.com: Ghettopoly: Is It A Racist, Offensive Game?

Okay, lemme first say that I am a person with a sick sense of humor..

That was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. The idea of the game is goofy. Exactly who is the target market for this game? Inner city kids can't afford it..Upper class kids have Playstations and XBox's..they don't have the time or the desire to play a board game.

So, again, who is supposed to buy this game?

I would buy it. Why? Well, I'll tell you.

I can't think of a better motivation to get up and work my butt off everyday than playing that game and losing because I got picked off in a drive by..or ran out of food stamps. I don't want to become a drug dealer or a 'ho. And I most certainly do not want to fall victim to crack, smack, chronic or any other controlled substance that would lead me to any of the aforementioned pitfalls.

Just like in the original game that Ghettopoly is spoofing, this too is life. It's crude, I agree, but to call it racist or offensive is, in my not so humble opinion, flying in the face of reality. People actually live like this. This is a way of life for some of them.

Am I saying their life should be reduced to sport or made fun of in a board game? No. My point is, perhaps the game could have a "lesson": quit school and smoke crack, and you too can live the life the game portrays. If you don't want to live the life, if you don't want to be viewed as the stereotypical black or poor person (oh, now THERE'S another rant) then make sure you don't do the things the characters in the game do.

And tha's all I gots ta say 'bout dat!
- posted by Kim @ 9:42 PM

 
Newsday.com - Telemarketing Execs On Do-Not-Call List

Talk about hypocritical! I cannot believe that these executives had the nerve and audacity to put themselves on the very list they are fighting to get shot down.

If you are a telemarketer or a telemarketer executive, you should be

banned from being on the list. If you can't listen to your own companies' prattle about a credit card or dream vacation, then you need to either find a new profession or turn off your phone. You know, the very things you tell those of us who don't want sales calls in the middle of dinner to do.

That is what my logical, diplomatic side thinks. Now for my personal opinion. Oh come on, you KNEW I'd have one!

I think that every other person on the Do Not Call list should be given the phone numbers of the executives and that they should call them at 6pm every day. Call and ask them how they are doing...if they had a good day at work...tell them all about Johnny making a poo poo in the pottie..anything innoculous, but NOT a sales pitch. After a few days of this, the executives will be begging to be taken off the list and welcome the calls that we don't want to listen to.


- posted by Kim @ 10:15 PM