job update

I have a monster week coming up, with highlights including a trip to the dentist to have some fillings replaced, and even worse, the final testing for the George Brown College notetaking program. (The office of Disability Services at George Brown runs the program, but it serves 20 colleges in the GTA.)

I'm nervous about the test. I know I can do the work; in fact, I know I'd be very good at it. But I have to be able to show them that, and I'm not confident that I can. I often don't test well. I get nervous and freeze up. On typing tests in agencies, I routinely test 15-20 words per minute slower than I actually type. The final test is pretty rigorous, and I'm hoping I can do it.

Also this week, I'm meeting with a woman who runs a private agency that provides all kinds of services to the deaf community. She has hired me as a notetaker on the strength of my resumes, a few email conversations and a phone call alone. We're meeting in person for the first time this week, and she's ready to give me work immediately.

Private Agency uses notetakers not only for college and university classes, but business meetings as well. Deaf and hearing-impaired people who might mainly do business within the deaf community, but occasionally need to meet, for example, at a bank or with a hearing lawyer, call Private Agency to hire a notetaker.

I get a great feeling about Private Agency. I think I'd really enjoy working for her. Unfortunately, she pays much less than the GBC program. Not a little less - a lot less. I can't see doing the same exact work for one-third less money just to work with a nice person. (And the GBC contact may be nice, too!)

However, I don't have the GBC work yet, and Private Agency is already in hand. I feel I have to pursue it, even though I may end up not working for her. Private Agency knows this and is willing to see what happens.

On the legal document-production front, Weekend Firm (the contract position) has allowed me to drop Friday nights, which I really needed in order to make this thing work. Now I'm working 10-hour shifts Saturdays and Sundays. (In New York this would have been all the work I needed. Grumble grumble.)

* * * *

There are so many variables in play, I have no idea how this will all shake down. (Moving-to-Canada bloggers still in process may especially relate to that sentence!) The uncertainty is not wonderful, but that's what comes from change. I know I have to live with it, so I can.

What I'd like to see happen - eventually, ideally - is: (1) get the GBC notetaking work, (2) give myself some time to get accustomed to the new work and working lifestyle, see how many hours I can get, and so forth, (3) then see if I can add ESL tutoring to the mix, then maybe (4) drop doc-pro work altogether.

That last part may be unrealistic. Dropping the law-firm work would leave a big chunk of income to be made up through copyediting, writing and tutoring. The notetaking pays enough, but there isn't enough of it: it only exists during class terms. So I don't know if I'll be able to drop the law-firm work.

It's possible I'll end up alternating between notetaking plus doc-pro, and doc-pro alone. That might be all right.

You'll notice there's no mention of writing in all this. That's partly because I have to focus on the income-earning work right now. It's also partly because the War Resisters activism may take up the writing "slot" in my life for a time, until, with any luck, those two avenues come together.

Like I said, a lot of variables.