Archive for April, 2007
Calling all BC residents! I’ll be in Vancouver this week for a mini media blitz and two book readings, guaranteed to be more fun that your last office party.
The deets:
Thursday, April 26, 7:00 PM
Sophia Books
450 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC
(604) 684-0484
Friday, April 27, 7:30 PM
Vancouver Public Library
Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level
Central Library
350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC
(604) 331-3603
Co-sponsored by Banyen Books
Next up in May, I hit Washington, DC, Baltimore, and New York City. Woo hoo.
April 25th, 2007
Have you seen the interesting coverage Equal Pay Day (April 24) is getting this week? Basically all those wackjobs who say discrimination in the workplace is a figment of the collective feminist imagination can eat their boxers (or in some cases, thongs). A new study by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation has found that women working full time one year out of college earn 80 percent of what their male counterparts earn. And ten years out of school, we’re earning 69 percent of what our male counterparts earn.
Meaning all those “that’s because some mommy-minded women choose the slow track at work” arguments don’t hold water. Ditto for the “that’s because some women choose lower-paying careers and/or industries” argument. Check out these stats about women and men one year after college graduation:
In education, women earn 95 percent as much as their male colleagues earn, while in math, women earn 76 percent as much as men earn, the study showed.
If you want to read the entire study, you can indulge in all the wonky stats your vindicated little heart desires here. Also, here’s a kickass writeup of these new findings on Broadsheet (if you’re not a Salon subscriber, you may have to watch an ad first).
Oh, and as a consolation prize, the London’s Evening Standard reported that between household duties and office life, women only work ten minutes more a day than men.
April 24th, 2007
How many questions about career change can a cubicle expat whose new computer is already acting up answer in one hour? What will she say? Will she make any typos? And what’s the number one business idea people in the Pacific Northwest are looking to get into? (Hint: Woof.) All that and more here, in the transcript from my live chat yesterday with Seattle Times readers.
April 24th, 2007
Lisa writes: You mentioned LifeWise health insurance at your reading in Lake Forest Park last week. Could you tell me about your experiences with them? Are you happy with the coverage? I am eligible for COBRA once my cubicle job ends, but it is so freakin’ expensive that I am starting to freak out!
Kudos to Lisa for starting to do her health insurance homework. As she’s discovering, COBRA coverage is usually unaffordable for mere mortals. While I’m not an insurance salesman, I was asked at the reading Lisa mentions what policy I use. As I said that night, I use and totally dig LifeWise (available in some western U.S. states).
Having had more insurance policies than shoes and boyfriends combined over the past 15 years, I feel as qualified as any consumer to comment on how my current plan stacks up to others. What I like: The “can’t complain about it” customer service (a novelty for this gal!), the fact that the plan covers chiropractic and naturopathic care, and the fact that every medical practitioner or facility I’ve visited for healthcare over the past few years is covered by this plan. Oh yeah, and that it’s way, way more affordable than COBRA coverage, which I was eligible for after my last temp gig ended in 2006.
If you’re looking for individual health coverage, take a page from Lisa: Don’t stop at doing the price check on sites like eHealthInsurance. Do:
- Get testimonials from real live people. If you don’t know any with individual coverage, join a networking listserv in your industry (for example, Seattle Writergrrls for Pacific Northwest word nerds) and ask people what carriers they prefer and why. It’s through lists like these that I learned that I was not the only self-employed person totally frustrated by the useless health insurance plan offered by this organization.
- See if any professional or alumni groups you’re eligible for offer coverage. When I was looking for my latest health plan, I checked into the coverage MediaBistro and the National Writers Union offered before deciding to get my own damn coverage. (MB offered the same plan I’d found on my own, and the NWU coverage was too freaking expensive.)
- Make sure your fave health care pros are on the plan you’re eyeing. This is always one of the biggest factors for me, right up there with cost of co-payments, percentage covered “in” and “out” of network, and whether or not the plan pays for my glasses and back cracking.
- Hunker down and work the numbers. Estimate how often you see a doctor each year (barring any unforeseen medical mishaps) and go over your receipts (or calendar entries) for your medical appointments from the past couple of years. It’s the only way to know if a higher deductible, health savings account, or catastrophic (as opposed to “full”) coverage will work for you. Capiche?
Have a question for the Cubicle Expat? Ask away.
April 19th, 2007
Found a new site that has some excellent resources for women looking to work far, far away: Expat Women. Especially useful: the mentors around the globe and the forums. Especially juicy: the real-life confessions on topics like trailing partners and cheating spouses.
April 19th, 2007
I’ve been holding out on you. Actually I took yesterday off blogging because like everyone else, I needed a day to wrap my head around the horrific shootings at Virginia Tech. But now that I’m back, I have media goodies to share:
On Sunday, the Seattle Times ran a Q&A with me. And next Monday, I’ll be answering reader questions in a live online chat. Feel free to post a question. You don’t have to be local.
On Monday, the San Francisco ABC-TV afternoon show “View from the Bay” ran the segment I taped with fellow homepreneur Deirdre Greene during my Bay Area trip. You can watch it here. And if anyone knows how I can save this to my hard drive, please let me know because I am a Luddite when it comes to such things. (To my credit, my technically inclined friend didn’t have a solution either.)
And finally, because I was godknowswhere when these podcasts went live, I forgot to mention that my March interview with Tami Kosch of AM 1090, which bills itself as Seattle’s progressive radio station, is now on the web for your listening pleasure. Here’s part 1 of our chat. And here’s part 2. Aren’t you dying to know how she worked Buddy into the conversation?
April 18th, 2007
There’s a new blog in town that’s all freelancing, all the time. It’s called FreelanceSwitch, and it looks like the site’s going to offer up some serious resources for we self-employed types in the coming months. Check it out.
April 18th, 2007
The anti 9-to-5er: Angie Mattson, Charlotte, NC
My job: I’m a project assistant who works with consultants and other self-employed folks here in Charlotte. I do everything: simple data entry, major re-organizing of home offices, day to day administrative tasks, editing/copywriting, and a good bit of freelance adventure/travel writing just for fun to fill the weekends up. I started doing this in 2003 and have been busy as a bee ever since.
What makes my gig anti 9-to-5: I work from home for myself. My office is painted a beautiful orange color (similar to the background on this website) and I have a huge window that overlooks my big backyard. For nonprofit work, I observe the birds. I switched because I can’t live without the variety, freedom, and flexibility this setup allows me.
What I did in my former 9-to-5 life: I was an admin assistant for a homebuilder, a university, and an environmental nonprofit. I was also dabbling in fundraising, which I quickly learned was not my forte.
How I made the anti 9-to-5 leap: I started my “freedom” job part time and continued to work for an environmental nonprofit part time. There was an incident where I was laid off and received a month’s severance. The next week I was hired back as a contractor. When I got enough other clients, I cut loose and flew solo.
My biggest obstacles: [It took time, patience, and a bit of a learning curve.] Because I started the biz slowly and had that extra month’s severance, I was able to manage a steady cash flow. A local businesswoman who had worked with me sent an introductory email to her contact list to get my name out. After that it was networking and getting new clients through word of mouth. I ended up getting a great tax guy and started working for a lawyer. Another strategic planner hired me and all of these folks gave me great advice when I needed it most.
My tips for other cubicle expats: Be BRAVE. Be very, very brave. Be good at what you do, have incredible integrity and a high work ethic. Be trustworthy, reliable, on time, and always in a good mood. Work from home, don’t buy expensive furniture or supplies for your home office. Cold call, ask for informational interviews with experts in the field you want to be in. People are happy to talk to you if you promise to only take 20-30 minutes of their time. Be prepared with questions and write a thank-you note after your meeting.
What’s that link again? MattsonBusiness.com
Have an anti 9-to-5 tale to tell? Just fill out this here survey.
April 16th, 2007
Any UK residents (or North American expats in the UK) reading and using The Anti 9-to-5 Guide? I’ve been contacted by a journalist who’s looking for guinea pigs — I mean, people who’ve read the book and found it helpful. If so, email me. Thanks so much.
April 16th, 2007
You know how I have an essay in a kickass new anthology, Single State of the Union: Single Women Speak Out on Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Happiness? Well, if you don’t, I do. The collection is edited by the hilarious Diane Mapes, and it features uproarious stories by funny/saucy women like Margaret Cho, Laurie Notaro, Lynn Harris, Susan Jane Gilman, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Judy McGuire, and on and on and on.
Well, tonight is the book’s launch party, and I’ll be reading with fellow Seattle singlefunnywomen Litsa Dremousis, Jane Hodges, Dana Rozier, Rachel Toor, and M. Susan Wilson. The details:
Friday, April 13, 7 p.m.
University BookStore
4326 University Way NE, Seattle
We’re also taking this singleskicksomeseriousass show on the road. In fact, I’ll be reading from my essay “House Without a Spouse” at the following Seattle and Portland, OR, events for the book:
Thursday, April 19, 7 p.m.
Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park (N. Seattle)
Friday, April 20, 6 p.m.
Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle
Monday, June 11, 7 p.m.
Powell’s Books, Portland, OR
Tuesday, June 12, 6:30 p.m.
In Other Words, Portland, OR
For other reading dates and news about Single State of the Union, visit Diane’s gorgeous new blog.
April 13th, 2007
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