What a waste...

...of time. I've been plugging away for weeks, working my butt off for the buyers at Rent-A-Coder and getting squat in terms of money, just to keep my head above water. The site has been down several times due to hurricanes in Florida where the company is based. Due to the site being down last weekend I missed my deadline for a client by a few hours. Now, he has the work I slaved over for weeks and doesn't want to pay me and because of their strict rules I'm going to lose all that work and the money (not that it was much). I'm done. I'm busting my tail for nothing except cheap jerks who refuse to pay a decent wage for my hard work, research and time and then do their best to stiff me into the bargain.

So, I called Colorado Workforce this afternoon to see if they had anything on tap. I don't need much. A part time job will do it. The lovely lady who runs the place, Lisa, had a couple job openings, one in Granby and another farther out (which is not an option right now), but she also had a suggestion. Why not market my skills to local medical practices to do their billing, coding, and transcription? I didn't even think of it. I can take as many or as few clients as I need and work my own hours from home. They don't have to pay benefits, which saves them a lot of money, and they get a qualified, certified, and experienced subcontractor. It will take some time, but at least it's something on the horizon and that's what I need right now. It's either that or go back to selling myself for nickels, dimes, and quarters. I'm done.

One thing I have learned is that when something doesn't work, don't waste your time trying to make it work, pack your bags and walk out. I do not have the time to waste any more. I'm not 20 and starry-eyed. I'm 21 and change and still starry-eyed, but every once in a while I see the gleam of avarice and the potential for someone to use me for wiping their feet. I know enough to get while the getting is good.

There are very few people in this world who aren't out to gouge you for everything they can get or who would take advantage of someone's naivete or good nature. I've met quite a few of them. That's not to say there aren't good people because there are lots of good people. Unfortunately, the jerks out number the good guys. It's kind of like spending all your time looking thru the haystack for that needle never realizing it's on the ground next to it. Forest for the trees...same thing.

Anyway, it's time to dust off my personality and my smiles and thank yous and hit the road again. I'll make some calls tomorrow and set up some appointments. If that doesn't work I'll hit them cold. Gives me the chills. I'm a good salesman but I hate cold calls and I hate selling. Writing an article or story and convincing an editor to buy it is another kind of selling and I don't have to smile and nod and pretend to like the jerk who just insulted me, but that's life.

Okay, off to the grocery store. I need a few things. Go have fun. Kiss someone just for the heck of it and don't explain.

I'll shut up now.