WAHM Lesson #3 - Always have a business card on hand.

This disclaimer will be part of every WAHM Lesson. While these are true things that I've experienced as a work at home mom, many are written to make you laugh. They may or may not have happened in the order that they are listed. So, why is there a disclaimer? Because I know certain people that read this blog simply looking for dirt. Good luck with that. You won't find any. Go away and worry about your own life. For everyone that's here to read, learn, and laugh...welcome. Feel free to comment.

WAHM Lesson #3 - Always have a business card on hand.

In my business card case, I usually carry four or five. Today, during the snowpocalypse I decided to stop by Taco Bell near my house. I went through the drive thru and the exchange went something like this:

TB - Hi, how are you today?

Me - I'm fine, thank you. How are you?

TB - There's no place I'd rather be.

Me - You're a fucking liar.

TB - You're right. My window has the north facing wind and snow blowing in when I open it. May I take your order?

Me - I would like two Crunch Wrap Supremes and a medium Mountain Dew.

TB - Okay. That's two Crunch Crap Supremes and a medium Mountain Doodle. (total) You'll pay at the second window.

---at the second window---

TB - I don't say this often, but I love you. I hate most everyone.

Me - That's nice. It's also the natural course of business. There are times when I hate everyone and I'm self employed...well, except I really like the guy that paid me almost $200 to write his paper on fracking.

TB - You write papers?

Me - Yes. I write more than that, but that was a nice, cushy gig.

TB - Are you serious? My wife is finishing her dissertation and it's driving her crazy. Are you able to write and edit highly educated and technical work?

Me - Well, I'd hope so or my last client is really fucked. The paper was for a master's level course. I assure you I'm competent. I have a degree and I am a former college professor.

TB - Holy shit! I think it's my lucky day!

I gave him my last two business cards. He thanked me profusely because apparently his wife is losing her mind over the dissertation.

Moral: always engage with people who engage with you...and always have a business card with you!

Writing Gigs

It's been another really busy week here in House of Punk. I had to turn down a last minute business plan writing gig. I simply didn't have time (or the desire) to do something incredibly last minute. If you know someone who plans on attending a trade show, then they need to have their business plan complete far before they go. It's a lot of stress to do it last minute particularly when they don't have all of the information on hand for the financial section. Maybe I'll talk about business plans in another post.

Anyway, if you check out Gumroad today (Feb. 27) then you'll find something cool.

Business and Legal Writing

1. Financial Writer - Artisan Creative
2. SEO Article Writer
3. Digital Marketing Writer
4. Remote Legal Blogger
5. Ghostwriter for entrepreneurship book
6. Curriculum workbook for business course

Content Writing

1. Staff Writer - TV Guide
2. Human Interest Writer - Bauer Media Group
3. Junior Writer - 24 Seven
4. Content Coordinator - Wargaming America
5. Entry Level Creative Services Writer - Greenway Health
6. Content Marketing Writer - Rightside
7. Writer and Editor - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
8. Web Content Writer - The Creative Group

Copywriting

1. Copywriter - Backcountry
2. Copywriter for new dating website

Food Writing

1. Freelance Food Writer - WomensForum.com

Music Writing

1. EDM Writer

Professional Blogging

1. Filmmaker Blog Article Writer - 20 Questions Film
2. Healthy living bloggers wanted

Technical Writing

1. Ghostwrite a technical book
2. Technical Writer - Edaptive
3. Technical Writer - inContact

Monday Motivational: You Can Be Different

On Mondays when a lot of corporate employees wake up, they wish that they wouldn't have to go in. Maybe they dream of another job. Maybe they dream of working from home. Maybe they just dream of being on the beach with a drink in hand.

It doesn't really matter what the dream is that they have. They all have the same theme. They want something different. If you want something different, can you continue to do the exact same thing over and over again? No. If you want something different then you must do things differently.

Being different and doing things in a different way is okay. Of course, there are plenty of people ready to ostracize you. So,  it does take a thick skin.

You're different. If you find that living life just like everyone else is akin to wearing clothes that are five sizes too small, then it's time to find ways to be different. That doesn't necessarily mean that you quit your job today. However, it does mean that you make a plan with actionable goals and begin to take steps to achieving your goals.

You can do it.

Writing Gigs - Feb. 18, 2015

Sometimes I am just amazed at how much time goes by between my posts here. However, after you start with your own writing gigs you quickly figure out that sometimes you don't have the time (or the energy) for a lot of other things.

I'm doing editing for two major websites and an up and coming self help author. Then, there is (of course) the ghostwriting. I'm also working on a business development Udemy course for a client. Oh, and let's not forget the research project on hydrofracking. One of my ghostwriting projects is due the 25th and has to be 20k words. In reality, that's not too bad. I just need to buckle down and get it done.

Needless to say, I've done a lot of mass deletion on my inbox during the last month or two. With freelance writing you can earn an extra $30 a week or bigger sums. I don't like to talk about money. My company makes enough to be comfortable. There is a full time income for part time work. However, you must realize that although you might write or edit part time that it is still a full time mental commitment.

With that said, don't forget to invest into your freelance writing future. You can pick up Crash Course Freelance Writing on Amazon or on Gumroad. You'll learn how to generate your own writing leads.

Business and Legal Writing

1. Business Plan Writer

Beauty and Fashion Writing

1. Beauty Blogger
2. Ebook on natural hair care for men.

Content Writing

1. Content Writer - The Connors Group
2. Staff Writer - BH Media Group
3. Jr. Online Marketing Writer - Blinds.com
4. Website Content Writer
5. Teeth Whitening Content
6. Magazine Writer / Editor
7. Ebook: How to Hire the Best Dental Employees
8. Write a memoir

Copywriting

1. Copywriter needed for multiple projects
2. Website copywriting

Educational Writing

1. Freelance Writer and Editor - NC State Univ.

Medical Writing

1. Writer / Editor - American Cancer Society

Technical Writing

1. Technical Writer - Edison Ventures
2. Process Documentation Writer - MedSyngergies

Travel Writing

1. Las Vegas article writing

Recipe Review: Nacho Cheese Chip Casserole

You'll see the recipe floating around online as Doritos Casserole. Recently, I decided to try shopping at Aldi's. I spent $46 (Oklahoma City) and have enough groceries for roughly five meals. I did buy my hamburger elsewhere. There's simply no difference in the price of beef at my local Aldi's. However, I also bought some great fresh asparagus for $1.99 and some lovely baby spinach.

Anyway, my goal with this review isn't necessarily the recipe itself. It is more about the quality and taste of the ingredients that I purchased from Aldi's. First, let's take a look at the basic recipe.

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 lbs. hamburger
• 2 c. shredded cheddar
• Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos

Essentially, you cook and crumble your hamburger. I season mine with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Of course, drain it if you use fatty meat. 

Mix the meat with the two cans of cream soup. Place this in a casserole dish. 

Top with shredded cheese. Crush chips and place on top.

Place in oven at 350 until cheese is melted. This took maybe 10 minutes.

I already had cream of mushroom soup on hand. I bought my hamburger from Walmart. 

I bought cream of chicken soup, shredded sharp cheddar, and the nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips from Aldi's. 

We really liked the shredded cheese from Aldi's. It had a really great flavor. The only thing I didn't like was the price. It was actually cheaper to buy Kraft shredded cheddar from a local store. I didn't know that until I later went there to get my youngest son some chocolate milk. 

We really liked the cream of chicken soup from Aldi's, too. It had a really good flavor. It came out of the can easily. The top of the can is an easy open can. I was worried that it wouldn't have enough flavor or that it would be salty. I was wrong! 

We could go either way on the nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips. They were fine for the casserole. However, they are not something that we would just eat with a sandwich or for a snack. The texture is really strange (and this is coming from someone who loves the Great Value brand nacho cheese tortilla chips). They are a little salty as well. The cheese flavoring is good. 

I paid .59 cents for the soup, $2.79 for the shredded cheese, Had I known it was on sale at a local store, I could have saved almost a dollar. I paid $1.19 for the chips. The hamburger was purchased elsewhere for about $8. So, this meal cost us roughly $11. We are big eaters. Tonight there were three of us instead of five, but we ate the entire pan. Even the picky five year old liked the recipe. The hamburger was the most expensive component. You could probably save more if you used ground turkey or if you can find hamburger on sale.