- Being without a computer for six weeks has cramped my style. I had plans to gear up for tax preparation for the new year in December, as well as to begin soliciting paid translation work, but I didn't feel comfortable doing so without my own equipment to do the work on. And getting sick didn't help; I still feel a bit run down and disinclined to move on stuff I'd planned to do - buying tax prep software, marketing my services, and doing more writing to boot. And having to spend about $1,000 on new computer stuff is not making things any easier. I'd hoped to put that inevitability off till I had a bit more cash to play with.
- I realized last week that the plan I had to finish the translation certificate program by the end of summer is unrealistic, because NYU doesn't offer enough courses in the summer to make it feasible. I cannot spare either the money or the time to take more than two courses in the spring - and possibly not more than one, given the computer purchase - so I'd need to take two at least in the summer, which I believe is more than they provide. So I'm looking at the end of 2012 at the earliest to be done with the certificate. I can obtain work without the certificate, certainly, so it's no great hardship, but I wanted to be done already.
- I also have concluded that I need to tear apart and recreate my resume. My current one is an old-style chronological number, and I don't think it's getting me noticed in a modern environment. I may not need personal assistance if anyone knows of a website with good sample resumes. Any suggestions?
- I have decided that a $2.50 cover price, as effective last week, is more than the NY Times is worth to me. It was barely worth it at $2.00, so it wasn't a tough call once I had a computer at home so I could read the important stuff on line. As far as keeping my mother supplied with crosswords, which is a big reason I held out this long, an online subscription to just the crosswords is dirt cheap, and I'll see if she'll go halfsies on it.
- I realized last week that the plan I had to finish the translation certificate program by the end of summer is unrealistic, because NYU doesn't offer enough courses in the summer to make it feasible. I cannot spare either the money or the time to take more than two courses in the spring - and possibly not more than one, given the computer purchase - so I'd need to take two at least in the summer, which I believe is more than they provide. So I'm looking at the end of 2012 at the earliest to be done with the certificate. I can obtain work without the certificate, certainly, so it's no great hardship, but I wanted to be done already.
- I also have concluded that I need to tear apart and recreate my resume. My current one is an old-style chronological number, and I don't think it's getting me noticed in a modern environment. I may not need personal assistance if anyone knows of a website with good sample resumes. Any suggestions?
- I have decided that a $2.50 cover price, as effective last week, is more than the NY Times is worth to me. It was barely worth it at $2.00, so it wasn't a tough call once I had a computer at home so I could read the important stuff on line. As far as keeping my mother supplied with crosswords, which is a big reason I held out this long, an online subscription to just the crosswords is dirt cheap, and I'll see if she'll go halfsies on it.
