Business and diapers

Dutchessa

2011-06-26T04:02:00.000-07:00

My love for books borders on the obsessive. I have many kinds of books in my study, such as 'An Irishman's difficulties with the Dutch language', a book from 1908 that describes an Irishman's struggles with the Dutch vernacular.

"Have you? Well; that is not so simple as it looks. I consulted the Grammar, and was appalled to see the amazing variety of choice afforded to any one in Holland who contemplated asking this innocent question."

Dutch is still a difficult language to learn. Fortunately, we now have professional trainers who can lend a hand and help out with grammar, jargon, idiom and culture.Professionals who understand that language and culture are intertwined.
Dutchessa is a case in point, providing courses in small groups for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. To find out more about the formats available have a look at www.dutchessa.com.
And find out that learning Dutch is not only difficult but also fun.

Failing to plan is....planning to fail.

2011-02-28T07:17:00.000-08:00

Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Most of us have heard or read that sentence more than once. I find it irritating but true.

If you plan on becoming a work-at-home-mom, planning is as crucial as it would be for any other venture. You need to work out (to some extent at least) what line of business you'd like to operate, how much it will cost to get started and keep running, what skills you can use to your advantage and how all of this will affect your family time and household.

As a wahm's business plan can be quite different from a conventional business plan (aimed at getting a loan from the bank, something many wahm's do not need) I made a business plan for wahm's on the business and diapers site.

Have a look at www.businessanddiapers.com (at the homepage and at the free downloads section) to see if it can be of use to you. Good luck!

Any comments, feedback or suggestions are welcome at vertaalslag@planet.nl

House for sale in The Hague, the Netherlands

2011-02-01T11:27:00.000-08:00

What new media entail these days is almost unbelievable. I am referring to the role the Internet played in movements in Tunisia and Egypt for example.

At a more personal than political level I can also say that they changed my life. As I can send my translations to customers by email, I was able to spend a lot of time with my son when he was small.

Technology and humanity sometimes make good bedfellows.

Anyhow, enough bla bla about me...on the off change that someone who reads my English blog is looking for a house in The Hague,the Netherlands I´d like to recommend viewing this apartment

http://www2.funda.nl/koop/s-gravenhage/appartement-47921912-groenewegje-90/

The address is Groenewegje 90. It´s a canal, located in the centre of the city. The property is 90 square metres, has 2 bedrooms and a huge shared garden as a wonderful extra. The price is 249,500 euros. It is an apartment suitable for being happy,raising kids and working from home. In that order, if you ask me. But why not take a look for yourself...

oproep aan alleenstaande moeders

2011-01-17T04:17:00.000-08:00

Een journalist benaderde me met de vraag of ik alleenstaande moeders ken die zouden willen meewerken aan een artikel over rondkomen als alleenstaande moeder. Hoe doe je dat? Welke tips zijn er? Hebben bezuinigingen van de overheid een invloed?

Wie wil meewerken kan mij een mailtje sturen (vertaalslag@planet.nl).

The remains of ....my kitchen

2011-01-16T10:46:00.001-08:00

At the moment, cooking is more of a challenge than it usually is. My bathroom has been converted in a kitchenette, with only the bare necessities. My son and I have dinner in my home office and breakfast in my bedroom.
This is because our kitchen is currently being renovated. Renovations have two sides to them. True, there is the hassle, the dust, the noise and the general inconvenience. But on the upside there is the excitement about something new being achieved, about improvement, about new steps being taken. I quite enjoy having to be resourceful, doing things differently for once and using only the basics.
Moreover, my kitchen really needed work. I was stale, worse for wear and tear, dark, depressing, oppressive. Now...all that is left are debris (see picture).

Out with the old, in with the new.

merry christmas to all the drunks

2010-12-22T14:09:00.000-08:00

To be brutally frank about it: my sister Florine is a tough cookie. However, she definitely has her soft spots, her moments of tenderness and her mellow moods. She is, above all, a creative person. Recently she came back from a walk through the woods (Haagse Bos) with a determined look in her eye and ....old cans in her hands. She made a Christmas tree for all the drunks, the lost souls and the homeless who wander through these woods.

My son

2010-11-01T04:10:00.000-07:00

A Small Act. A single gesture. Limitless possibilities

2010-10-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening, my new friend/acquaintance/mother of one of my son's friends, the artist Anat Ratzabi took me to a Connecting Women-meeting .

It was a truly enjoyable evening,with the focus on a documentary we watched together: A Small Act. A single gesture. Limitless possibilities.
This film shows us how the destinity of a poverty-stricken Kenyan boy changed through the donations of a Swedish woman. She put him through school and high school and education changed his life. Now a grown-up man, he is giving something back. He has created a foundation, named after his benefactor, in order to help poor Kenyan children receive an education.

This moving story shows us that small gestures do count, do help, do make a difference. This story is also a compelling case for doing something for others, for reaching out, for keeping an open mind and for thinking of what we can give others rather than of what we can take.

Since yesterday evening I have not, I am sorry to say, made a major contribution to the world becoming a better place. I have, however, spent a little less on my groceries so that I could give money to the homeless guy on the corner selling a paper and to a girl collecting money for charity. Very small gestures, admittedly, but I hope to be able to make many more.

Raising kids

2010-02-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

In what I believe was the first series of Desperate Housewives we could see Lynette, struggling with motherhood. She looked exhausted whilst doing the groceries, with her twins in tow. She secretly yearned for the life she had before the kids, as a career woman. But,on meeting an acquaintance, she put a smile on her face and said 'motherhood is the best job in the world', or words to that effect.

Well, motherhood sometimes feels like a job. And then again, it doesn't. It takes energy but also gives energy. It's not something you do from nine to five but more of a 24/7 effort.

It's endlessly challenging and rewarding, at any rate. When my son is acting up, it's almost always because I am behaving badly. Children are a mirror in a sense. It's no easy task to keep oneself under control, to be a good example. To provide children with a sense of stability and to make them feel loved.

As my friend Martine always says: "raising children is the toughest thing on earth."
And I guess that's what Lynette meant to say...

In his shoes

2010-02-06T01:38:00.000-08:00

Last week I had this weird experience. I was asked to translate for a civil law notary in the morning and in the afternoon. As travelling back and forth made no sense I asked whether it was alright if I spent the time in between the assignments at the notary's firm. This was fine. He even let me use his own desk and said 'then you can pretend to be a notary for a day'.

I tried. It was nice to be among beautiful things: a leather desk top, beautiful drawings on the wall, chic accessories and stationery wherever I looked. But at the end of the day life is all about people and not about things. The only moment in which I really enjoyed being in the notary's shoes was when the man himself entered the room at lunch time with a piece of cake he had fetched at home 'here you go, then you have something to eat.'

Guess there are days in which one can have one's cake and eat it.

Sometimes I am amazed at all the wonderful information to be found on the Internet. We have the world at our fingertips, in the comfort of our own home. In that sense the world has changed dramatically over the last few decades.

A few recommendations as far as starting your home business is concerned:

http://www.homeinternet-business.com
http://www.homeinternet-business.com/blog/

Have a look for yourself.

Bye for now, I have taken a day off, my parents are coming to dinner and I want the house to be clean and the food to be good. These things can take up considerable time and it's wonderful not having to rush...

Drawing, painting

2010-01-30T09:59:00.000-08:00

Happiness is not always where we expect it to be. Not that I am an expert at where contentment is to be found exactly, more's the pity. What I do know by now is that it's vital to use all we've got: our brains and our bodies, our emotions and our rational thoughts.

Doing things with my hands often gives me great satisfaction. Every day I spend at least half an hour drawing, painting, making a collage or whatever. The results vary, to be frank, but it's a lovely way of relaxing which leaves me much happier than, say, watch a silly soap on TV....It's nice to be busy with my hands instead of thinking hard, it's great to work with images instead of with words. It's a way of unwinding that I can highly recommend. We humans are increasingly becoming like machines, in my view, spending eternities on the computer and in front of our TV sets, but there is always a way back.

Anna Johson is our new mom of the month

2010-01-27T05:18:00.000-08:00

Photograph by Holly McCauley
During the past months I have shamefully neglected myself AND my sites & blogs. Events in my private life were so consuming that I barely managed to get to grips with the basics.

However, these last few weeks I've landed back on my feet. Bye bye tears, hello computer. In the process of 'recovery' I have reread Anna Johnson's books: both the one about Three Black Skirts and the YUMMYMUMMYMANIFESTO. I love her writing.Witty, rich and evocative. And it rings true. Her illustrations, too, are truly enjoyable and I often visit Anna's site to read her blog. I am very happy that Anna is the new mom of the month on my website. She is currently editing her new book: SAVVY CHIC: THE ART OF MORE FOR LESS and taking care of her son Cello.

It might be a bit strange at my age (I am 42!)but Anna is a role model to me. I have actually put up a picture of her and Marcello in my study, to motivate me on days like to-day when the weather is foul, Thomas is struggling with being an adolescent and I have trouble with well..being myself.

One bit of advice Anna gives work-at-home moms to be is: GET RID OF YOUR TV!
Not watching TV makes you save huge amounts of time and enables you to enjoy other stuff, like listening to classical music. Anna definitely has a point. Many of my friends ask me where I find the time for juggling work, single motherhood, arts and crafs,other people's children, writing, my blogs...but those friends easily spend three hours a day in front of their TV-set. That's a staggering 21 hours a week! No wonder they are always pressed for time.

For more on Anna, check out

Reality check

2010-01-19T10:33:00.000-08:00

Self-pity is a trap I easily fall into. There are days in which I constantly feel sorry for myself: my nose is too long, the amount of money on my bank account too small, the weather is foul, my friends nowhere to be found and my love life miserable. The heating does not work as it should, nor does the computer. Complain, complain, complain is all I do. And, to be fair to myself, I am not the only one.

Life, though, has a way of making people see things in perspective. To-day offered me various opportunities. This morning I was asked, for instance, to translate a document for Haïti. It was about turning a family car into a shelter. Very practical instructions but heartbreaking nonetheless. Here I am worrying about mortgages and perhaps having to move to a smaller place. Well, odds are whatever place that might be will be larger than a car! This afternoon I helped a private individual from Iraq fill out a form. Well, I helped in the sense that I translated the questions. The man clearly felt rather uneasy about the time he had spent in military service in the late eighties. The endless list of questions made him angry. "You people do not understand. We had no choice. If you failed to show up for three days you got shot and your parents had to pay for the bullet." All my legal arguments (e.g. that one of the reasons for all those questions is the wish to collect a body of evidence so that culprits can be prosecuted) are meaningless during moments like those. They do not help.

The only positive outcome of these clashes with harsh realities is that they put a stop to indulging in self-pity. And pave the way for a far more positive attitude.

interpreting in real estate transactions

2010-01-18T07:15:00.000-08:00

In the Netherlands it is mandatory to have an interpreter present when real estate is purchased and one of the parties has no or little understanding of the Dutch language.
This has become one of my specialisms, both because I truly find it interesting and important that individuals get the right information and understand what they are signing and because it provides me with the kind of assignment that I can easily combine with single motherhood.

Usually the contact between the person(s) purchasing real estate and myself is very positive. I often meet them in the waiting-room, try to make them feel at ease...

People are not always happy about the need for an interpreter, though, as this comes with a cost. Not so long ago there was someone who had strongly objected to the presence of an interpreter. The notary had explained that this was mandatory, that the absence of an interpreter could render the deed (and the transaction!)invalid and that the aim of having a professional translate every word was to protect the client. None of this had helped. I put my two cents in by telling the man in question: "and really, this is not the kind of assignment that makes me much richer" (a bit of a silly remark). His answer made me smile "well, it does make me a little bit poorer."

Leonard Cohen

2010-01-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

When I feel the blues coming on (and God knows that happens on a regular basis) I try to beat them by wearing something colourful, by taking a long hot bath, by reading poetry or by visiting friends who are good for my soul.

Music helps too. When gentle melancholy is welcome I listen to Leonard Cohen. I love his lyrics. And his attitude:
"This being human is a guest-house. Each day a new arrival. Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, treat every guest with respect."

happiness

2010-01-13T09:11:00.000-08:00

Happiness...will we ever stop looking for it? Trying to unravel its mysteries?

It's a fascinating subject. Always has been, always will be.

I recommend taking a look at Gretchen Rubin's site:

There are many things I'd like to mention here on the very subject of happiness but that would mean spending too much time on the computer and would ultimately be detrimental to...my own happiness. So I am leaving it here for to-day. Live and learn, live and learn...

Anna Johnson Three Black Skirts

2010-01-10T04:16:00.000-08:00

In this day and age it's hard to admit but I absolutely adore books. Though my friends -notably the younger ones- are reading less than they used to and constantly refer to the Internet I am enjoying books even more than I did in the past. I was a bit of a snob in my young years and started reading Proust when I was twelve. Admittedly there are worse things a twelve year-old can get up to but growing older has considerably broadened my taste. In times of restlessness I used to read glossy magazines. I still do sometimes but do not always find satisfaction when doing so. In my case the solution turned out to be poetry. At the moment I am reading Paroles, by Jacques Prévert. Over the years I have also grown to love 'how to-books'. They have a bad reputation and I think that's plain silly. Nobody likes to be told what to do and that might explain it but these books are generally not meant to dictate one way of life (or cooking method or accounting principles or time management rules) but are meant to help.

I particularly like Anna Johnson's books. Both in 'Three black skirts' and in 'The Yummy Mummy Manifesto' the tone is light. She does not pretend that she knows everything -quite to the contrary, she is funny, realistic and modest-and there is no moralistic tone in anything she writes. Her writing is funny and to the point. I find it easy to relate to her writing and this, in turn, helps to put in practice some of her pointers. She is witty and practical and, what I like above all, determined to be positive about things. Both her books have wonderful illustrations (the drawings are from Anna herself) and to me that's important.

So...if you can get hold of 'three black skirts'....by all means do!
And of course the Yummy Mummy Manifesto is recommended. I've found it's also a nice gift for mothers to be or young mothers.

And now I am going to tear myself away from the computer (which tends to take up too much of my time and energy) and do things that Anna might do on a Sunday afternoon, such as potter about in the house, take a long hot bath with aromatic oil, take a walk in the snow. Life is too short to waste it.

Back on track

2010-01-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know, I've been gone. Long. Too long perhaps,but then again...that demon life had caught me in its spell, to quote the Stones...

Lately, all my time and energy were required for taking care of my son Thomas, earning a living and keeping in touch with a small group of friends and relatives I love dearly...all the extra's had to go, including sports and updating my site(s) and blog(s).

But I am back now. With new energy and lots of ideas. For instance...I'd like to spend more time writing about the combination of raising adolescents and having one's own (home) business. Thomas is now twelve, he goes to secondary school. On the one hand, combining work and motherhood is easier than it was when he was smaller. The perks: he can be alone at home for a few hours if I have an assignment that takes me away from home. Moreover, he understands that I have to make money (which used to be a bit of an 'abstract' concept for him, but has now become tangible).
However, his school days are -if anything-shorter than they used to be when he was in primary school. More unpredictable, too, as lessons are prone to be cancelled at the last minute. This means that I now find myself sometimes struggling to concentrate on a legal text while attempting to shut out the noise of my son and his friends covering Nirvana-songs. Not an easy thing to do, I can tell you. And when I go to the kitchen, looking for some comfort food, I often find that only the wrapping is left...a bit distressing.

And I am quite lucky, as I can do most of my work at home and only have one adolescent to deal with. How do other parents cope? Any advice, handy hints? In that case, they are most welcome at my e-mailaddress vertaalslag@planet.nl

A reminder of the sites I have:
www.businessanddiapers.com (English), connected to this blog
www.thuiswerkmamas.nl (Dutch), also with its own blog
www.vertaalslag.net (in Dutch, French and English).

De V van...

2009-05-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

Op de thuiswerkmamas-site worden in de rubriek 'Werken' tal van V's genoemd waar je als ondernemer mee te maken krijgt volgens Karen Romme en Astrid Jansen:
De V van vrijheid. De V van voldoening. De V van verantwoordelijkheid. De V van variatie. De V van de villa in Frankrijk. De V van voelen. De v van vertrouwen.

Op die villa in Frankrijk na (allicht voorbehouden aan financieel wat succesvollere ondernemers) herken ik daar veel in. Jammer genoeg kamp ik in mijn privé-leven met een andere, tamelijk hardnekkige V, de V van verslaving. Jaren geleden kon ik geen maat houden met drank (one is too many, a thousand are not enough..). Gelukkig wist ik van die verslaving af te komen, gemotiveerd door de zorg voor mijn zoon Thomas. Hij heeft het recht op een moeder die zichzelf in de hand kan houden of op zn minst op een moeder zonder kater. Nu ben ik verslaafd aan ...zonnebloempitten. Vrienden glimlachen hier dikwijls om en zeggen vergoeilijkend 'ach, hoeveel kwaad kan dat?'. Lief natuurlijk maar ze hebben, vrees ik, ongelijk. Wat Martin Bril over alcohol zei beaam ik volledig: 'de alcohol is niet erg, het is de verslaving die erg is.'
Wel is verslaving een onderwerp dat me intrigeert. Niet alleen bij mezelf uiteraard, maar ook bij anderen. Het maakt onvoorstelbaar veel stuk. En waar komt het vandaan? Is het, zoals men wel leest, iets dat in je genen zit en waarvoor de een veel meer aanleg heeft dan de ander? Of is het gebrek aan eigenliefde, gebrek aan een gezonde identiteit? De ene uitleg lijkt me weinig compatibel met de andere (of zou gebrek aan eigenliefde ook al biologisch bepaald zijn? Dat kan ik me nauwelijks voorstellen...) maar toch lijken ze me allebei even plausibel. Ingewikkeld. De Amerikaanse schrijver Scott Fitzgerald meent dat echt intelligente mensen in staat zijn om twee aan elkaar tegen gestelde gedachten tegelijkertijd ruimte te geven. Oei, een echt intelligent mens ben ik dus ook al niet. Een mens zou van minder een identiteitsstoornis krijgen.

Mom of the month

2009-05-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

There is a new mom of the month on the www.businessanddiapers.com site.
Her name is Marja Kluivers, she is a single mom, her daughter Jada is five years old. Marja combines work as a bank employee and her own web-based fashion business.

Ana Johnson on motherhood

2009-04-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Writing about motherhood is a tricky business. It's important to avoid preaching, hurting other mothers' feelings or boring readers to death.

Ana Johnson writes about motherhood wonderfully well. I have her book, the Yummy Mummy Manifesto, and highly recomnmend it. It's also a great gift for pregnant friends. In the latest post on her site she writes about the contrast between the mother she hoped to be before she had her son and the mother she actually is. I can certainly relate to her tale of dreams and aspirations on the one hand, and being late for school and burning the food, time and again, on the other. "Mediocrity is not something we aspire to, but sometimes we are forced to capitulate to its force", Johnson states. Have a look at:

We are indeed! I often find the most basic household routines (the shopping, the cooking and the dishes) rather exhausting, keeping track of my son's schedule (breakdance classes, birthday parties, school exams) takes up quite a bit of my energy and makes me admire moms who have more than one child and my dream of being the perfect mum has vanished long ago. On the up side, I have turned my working life around completely years ago making me available for my son a lot of the time, I feel true affection for many of his friends, enjoy cookings his favourite dishes and there have always been many tender gestures which, hopefully, provide balance for my impatience and bouts of temper. As my friend Lind aptly put it: "I can't give more than I have." Neither can I. And somehow, I believe, Thomas understands.

March

2009-03-27T05:44:00.000-07:00

'April is the cruelest month'.

That might be so, but now it's March, and I am sure as heck enjoying it!

I always forget how much joy spring brings. The rays of sun, the flowers, the sheer vibrancy of energy in the air, the prospect of the summer that lies ahead. In spring I particularly enjoy being a work-at-home mom. In between deadlines I potter about on the balcony which, slowly, day by day, is changing from gloomy to pretty. I am already wearing summer dresses when making my translations, in an excess of optimism and I start buying plenty of fresh fruit and veggies at the market. More than at any other time of year I feel like celebrating life. And..strange but true, this has a good impact on my work. I am much more productive and get better results whilst spending less time at my desk.

What about you out there? I'd like to know about the impact of seasons on productivity of parents with their own business!

To-day's quote

2009-02-20T05:25:00.000-08:00

"If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people."

Harvey Mackay

To wash a child

2009-02-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

The following is, in a sense, a double theft. Indeed, I will be using a poem by Pablo Neruda. A poem I recently found on Ana Johnson's great website: www.yummymummymanifesto.com.
I can't resist, however, it's such a beautiful poem. Last Friday I saw my friend and colleague Madeleine who works as a conference interpreter and translator and who recently became a mother. She showed me wonderful pictures of her son Xavier, one of them in a bath. It triggered powerful memories of the slippery body of my son Thomas when I bathed him, quite a long while ago now. As another friend and colleague, Karin, said 'bathing a child appeals to something very primitive and meaningful within a woman's heart'. Anyhow, there is no chance in hell I will ever be able to express these things the way Pablo Neruda did, so I will let him do the 'talking' for now:

TO WASH A CHILD
by Pablo Neruda
Only the most ancient love on earth
will wash and comb the statue of the children,
straighten the feet and knees.
The water rises, the soap slithers,
and the pure body comes up to breathe
the air of flowers and motherhood.
Oh, the sharp watchfulness,
the sweet deception,
the lukewarm struggle!
Now the hair is a tangled
pelt criscrossed by charcoal,
by sawdust and oil,
soot, wiring, crabs,
until love, in its patience,
sets up buckets and sponges,
combs and towels,
and, out of scrubbing and combing, amber,
primal scrupulousness, jasmines,
has emerged the child, newer still,
running from the mother’s arms
to clamber again on its cyclone,
go looking for mud, oil, urine and ink,
hurt itself, roll about on the stones.
Thurs, newly washed, the child springs into life,
for later, it will have time for nothing more
than keeping clean, but with the life lacking.

New mom of the month

2008-12-11T04:49:00.000-08:00

There is a new mom of the month on the business and diapers site.
www.businessanddiapers.com

Her name is Mireille Geus, she is a writer of children's books, has won several impressive awards and prices for her work and also teaches writing to adults.

By the way, Mireille does not work at home, although many writers do. Read more about her and her work on the site www.businessanddiapers.com, free downloads.

To-day's quote

2008-12-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

HE WHO DOES NOT OBEY HIMSELF IS RULED BY OTEHRS.

Dr Phil

2008-11-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, publisher Marieke Hoogwout (of publishing agency REUNION in the Netherlands) recently pointed out something Dr Phil had said to a mother. It stuck to my mind: "if you love your children, take care of their mother".

Worth remembering...

Quote of the day

2008-11-03T01:34:00.001-08:00

"Each human being is born three times. Once from his father, once from his mother, and once from himself" (Persian wisdom).

New mom of the month

2008-11-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

To-day is All Saints Day, a day that has been described in Malcom Lowry's book Under the Volcano in a particularly haunting way. A day for special thoughts for loved ones who passed away. A day for visiting graveyards.

On a somewhat lighter note it it also quite simply the first day of a new month, which is why there is a new 'mom of the month'. This time it's Belinda Fallaux, mother of two and freelance journalist. She considers the combination of freelancing and motherhood to be ideal. I tend to agree with her (on a part time basis...).

Have a look at www.businessanddiapers.com, both at the home page and the download section, to find out more about Belinda, how she juggles play dates and deadlines.

Do you want to be father of mother of the month? Please contact met at vertaalslag@planet.nl

Autumn

2008-10-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

"Days decrease and autum grows, autumn in everything." Robert Browning

Problem solving

2008-10-25T03:17:00.000-07:00

When people ask me what kind of skills a work from home mompreneur needs I tend to put 'being good at problem solving' first. Indeed, when the computer is down and you have work to do, you'd better find a creative solution fast.

I've just returned from a few lovely days in France, but am now facing various IT 'issues'. It's important to be pragmatic in such situations and not let these troubles spoil the weekend. There usually is some solution, and putting things in perspective is key.

Having said that, I've got to go, got to do something about the computer.

The Yummy Mummy Manifesto

2008-10-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

OIver the years it has happened more than once that I've picked up a book, read it and thought 'wish I had written this'. The feeling was strong when reading the diary of Bridget Jones, many of Nigella Lawson's great cookery books and more recently when I read Anna Johnson's book: THE YUMMY MUMMY MANIFESTO.

A great read, well written, with beautiful drawings by Anna Johnson herself, funny anecdotes and sound advice on what is a delicate balance between enjoying motherhood to the full on the one hand and retaining your identity and sensuality on the other.
Recommended reading for all mums!

Unsurprisingly,Anna also has a site:
www.yummymummymanifesto.com

Retail therapy

2008-09-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

Bo Derek reportedly once said that anyone who committed suicide hadn't found the right places to go shopping. I am not sure she actually said that (and frankly, I hope she didn't, as it seems such a strange thing to say) and am not likely to find out. Incidentally, I think she is an absolutely gorgeous woman. I remember watching TEN in awe and crossing paths with Bo once in a hotel in Sri Lanka.

Anyhow, these last few weeks have been hectic and rather unpleasant. Turmoil within my family, the death of a colleague and the ceiling of my hall coming down (no, this is not a joke, but then again, I live in a house that is over a hundred years old)on the evening of my birthday a week ago. Last week was not great either, with water leaks on Tuesday and my computer crashing yesterday. Mmmm. Though heaven knows I tried, I have not managed to take things as well as I'd like to. But I am coping. Trying to keep in mind that things could be much worse, prioritizing, dealing with the various problems one at the time. Today I decided to go for some retail therapy and went to a shop full of nice notebooks, cards and small gadgets for the home. Decided to spend a bit of money on small treats to make me feel better. Whilst seeking solace in a shop I thought of Bo Derek and what she reportedly said about shopping. Well, unfortunately I don't have Bo Derek's good looks, fame or wealth. But even I was able to cheer up from a round of shopping.

Sultan

2008-08-25T03:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wrote about Sultan, here is his picture, as a picture says more than a thousand words.

I truly hope Sultan rests in peace.

Friends

2008-08-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Earlier this evening I walked past a house in which a friend of mine, Sultan, lived some er -it's hard to grasp-23 years ago. We were about 17 years old at the time or perhaps he was a few years older. His name was Sultan. A talended guy, with a lot going for him. His looks, his brains. He had a good sense of humor, he was articulate, he was lucky in love.

For a few years we shared an intense friendship. Long conversations about life and about love. It was a time that I will never forget, the time of experiencing first loves, first sexual encounters and forging one's identity.

I cared deeply for Sultan. We were friends, not lovers, but the friendship was extremely intense. One day, though, in winter, Sultan stepped in the ice-cold water of the sea. And kept walking.

He has been dead for some twenty years now. Like many of his friends and relatives I'm left with many questions, even after all that time. Could we have done something to help him? What would have become of him had he lived?

I am a mother now and it saddens me greatly that Sultan will never be a father. I sometimes see his father though, on his bike. It's a strange world.

The only thing left for me to do is remember Sultan, make sure to remember him, to keep the memories alive. Like Jacques Brel used to sing about his friend Jojo, six pieds sous terre, tu n'es pas mort.

Take the rough with the smooth

2008-08-18T03:04:00.001-07:00

Working from home has many perks. I really relish being able to share many things with my son Thomas, in that way I feel as blessed as many a stay-at-home mum. I earn a very decent living and feel like a career woman at times, too. I carry out translation assignments in my own home, in a study that suits my tastes, in confy clothes, with music that I like as a backdrop.

But I do complain quite a lot about the pitfalls, I hate to admit. One of them is the fact that people (even those quite close to me, depressingly enough) do not always take my work seriously. Understandable in a way, they see me having coffee in town now and again when I have a break, they are not there to see me work till late at night in the weekends, which I also do on occasion. They do not see me struggle with my fluctuating income or with the renewal of an anti-virus programme on the computer. But I have resolved to take the rough with the smooth, what else can one do?

After all, I have never regretted my choice.

On being a mum

2008-06-29T03:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was feeling low, coming down with some kind of flue. Tired, feverish. I stayed at home watching telly, which is hardly the most inspiring way of spending one's Saturday. But what the heck...

I watched 'living with Fran', at a certain point Fran speaks to her son and he looks bemused. He asks 'do you want me to feel guilty or happy?', her answer: 'I am a mom, I want both'. It's hard to admit, but I sure know what she means...

Peace Palace

2008-05-26T01:01:00.000-07:00

Last week I visited the Peace Palace here in The Hague together with my son's class, another class, a teacher and a few other moms. It was great to visit this famous building with the kids.
A young woman guided us along, providing lively explanations about the history of this building, in which the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Court of Justice are located.
It was a sligthly peculiar experience for me, as I have been at the Palace more than one for interpreting purposes. It was nice to be there in another 'role'.
We saw quite a lot of statues during our tour. One of Carnegie, one of Gandhi. As we walked along another statue, one of the little boys asked me 'is that Hitler?', I bit on my lip to refrain from laughing and said 'No, he did not contribute to world peace'. 'O, that's right', the boy answered, 'it was the other way round with him.' He probably understood more than I initially thought.
After the tour of the premises, we were treated to lunch, after which the children participated to a workshop on human rights. A fruitful day by all means.

Old footage on Sri Lanka

2008-05-19T04:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't written anything in this blog for a long, long time and I apologize for that, as it defeats the purpose of having a blog in the first place.

Times have been hectic at home -both because of happy and sad events-and writing came second.
However, I am now following a writing course in Amsterdam, working on legal translations, having fun with Thomas and preparing myself for a change: two little puppies, named Laïka and Spike, are going to become part of the household soon.

Anyhow, I have just begun writing a story about Sri Lanka. A troubled country, which is very dear to me. I lived there in the 80s and have very fond recollections of the country. I am in the process of doing some research, both online and offline and stumbled across this video:

Nobody knows

2008-04-07T02:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Japanese movie 'Nobody knows' was on Belgian television. A heart-wrenching movie about four children abandoned by their mother and living on their own in an apartment in Tokyo. Yuga Yagira, who played the eldest brother, rightly won an award for Best Actor in Cannes 2004 for his outstanding performance.

The movie is based on a true story and, as one can imagine, is not exactly a 'feel good-movie'. However, there are moments of happiness, even in the lives of these kids. Watching the movie, one easily 'becomes' the oldest brother, desperately trying to cope, trying to stay afloat. The responsibility he feels, the struggle, but also moment os fun with other children, the relief when there is a bit of money or some other stroke of luck.

The movie shows one thing extremely clearly: 'making' children is one thing, taking care of them quite another.

Book tip of the week

2008-04-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Although admittedly books are not the answer to every question in life, I believe great comfort can be found in them. Whether one is looking for escapism or learning, for thrills or handy hints, for beautiful pictures or beautiful turns of phrase.

My advice this week is:
Take a look at : What Would Budha Do at Work? By Franz Metcalf and BJ Gallagher Hateley, a book full of practical wisdom and inspiring quotes.

We all need new inspiration from time to time, and inspiration comes from many places. From other human beings and from nature, notably. But also, quite simply, from books.

Mess is more

2008-03-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

In the weekend I read a funny article in the Dutch magazine 'VIVA' about how being untidy is not as bad as one thinks and how being tidy is vastly overrated. The title of the piece was "MESS IS MORE".

Well, I'm not so sure. At the moment, all of my house qualifies as 'mess is more'. I am painting items of furniture and doing this in my bedroom (bad for my health, apart from anything else), my son Thomas is re-arranging his room in his own way, I am in the process of moving stuff to the attic, the stuff is in transit on the staircase and the disorder in my study and my living-room is utterly depressing.

I'm constantly on edge, constantly looking for thins. I think a little bit of a mess (think: pile of magazines on the floor next to the sofa) can be relaxing, but a lot of it is definitely not something I would recommend. Less is more, more or less.

Truth & Fiction

2008-03-06T01:07:00.000-08:00

I am writing this story about a homeless man and his friendship with a young boy. Well, in fact, 'writing' is overstating things. I have begun writing it, my friend, the artist Gurli Feilberg (www.feilberg.nl)
has already made a beautiful drawing about it, but the story has been on the shelf for quite some time now, due to my busy professional and private lives.
Funny thing is that the main character of this story, the homeless man, keeps popping up. In real life, that is. This is hardly surprising, as I got the idea from real life in the first place.
It nonetheless feels strange, every time I see somebody who reminds me of my main character, Anton. A few days ago I was walking past Florenzia (a place in the Hague, where you can get great ice-cream, not that you'd care, but still...) and I saw a bike parked outside, with large plastic bags hanging from the bike handles. Anton's bike. Anton's belongings.
Well, even though I am finding it difficult to carve in time for writing, my characters find time to remind me they are still there.

New site

2008-02-29T12:51:00.000-08:00

My new site about working from home and being a parent is online!
Part of it is under construction but I believe it's already worth a visit.
Check it out at http://www.businessanddiapers.com
and let me know what you think, what's missing, what you like or dislike about it...

Life

2008-02-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

To-day I went to the museum with a new friend/acqaintance/colleague of mine, her daughter and my son. It was great to leave the deadlines behind and to enjoy a day off, chatting away, enjoying ourselves. She's a remarkable woman.

All too often working from home means being home-bound. Being there mainly means being there for the computer. It's a tough job for my new friend and I to remind ourselves that the well-known saying "nobody says on their deathbed 'I wish I had spent more time at the office'" is also applicable to the home office.
The nice thing about getting older is that I am finding it a lot less difficult than I used to.

"I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me." (Herman Hesse)

I don't know how she does it

2008-02-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder how we mums manage. To take care of our kids and our finances. Of our partners and friends. Of the housekeeping and the gardening. How we keep fit and in touch.
Fact is...many of us don't manage. I, for one, am always running behind in several departments. Sometimes business is good, but I don't pay Thomas enough attention. Sometimes I spend a lot of time keeping house, but have no time to socialize, at other times I see a lot of friends, but the house looks like it has been bombed. Reading about other mums who are not quite able to cope helps put things into perspective. That's why I recommend Allison Pearson's book 'I don't know how she does it' to any mum who has her moments of doubt and pain.

Straight from the heart

2008-02-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

Why would I tell you about my day yesterday?
How I finally understood what my friend Madeleine has been telling me for years, that tasks such as housekeeping can be enjoyable. Everything worth doing, is worth doing well.
How I finally found someone I can trust with the small tasks that need to be done in this old, almost derelict house of mine I love so well.
How I felt my heart would overflow, many times. When the twins Lara and Julie came by. Two years old. Real sunshine, those kids. Which was welcome, as it was particularly misty.
How lovely it was to introduce them to my mother and stepfather and to see my three year old's nephew's startled reaction when he saw those two...and how sweet Thomas is to them. And how kind their mom is.
How I had an open conversation with my friend Gurli Feilberg (www.feilberg.nl), a remarkable person. A remarkable artist. And last but definitely not least, a remarkable mom.
How the mist hid the church towers from view and spring seemed suddenly so very far away.
How Thomas, in spite of his age (ten), climbed on my lap and whispered '" I've always wanted to ask...what kind of music did you like, you know, way back...when you were young." And how he shuddered slightly when I admitted I liked ABBA in those days (he's into metal).
How I took a long bath in the evening and washed my troubles away (as it had not only been plain sailing, and calls, messages and deadlines had generated quite some stress).
How I stood near Thomas' bed while he was sleeping, and said 'I love you' because I believe this has a positive impact, subconsciously. Because I want him to feel loved.
How the moon was a mere sliver. And how quiet it was, here, in town.
And how the night covered us in its cloak of darkness and peace.

Money matters

2008-02-12T06:58:00.000-08:00

There is something about me and money. Earning money is challenging enough, but spending it wisely (and keeping some apart) is even a bigger issue. At lunch to-day, Koen, a friend of mine said: "there are two things that have a huge impact on my temper: lack of sleep and lack of money." I know what it feels like. And though lack of sleep comes with the territory of (single) working motherhood, lack of money is not a necessity. I know other single entrepreneurial moms who manage their money and do not encounter problems in that field, although they don't necessarily earn more than I do.
At the moment I am rereading an interesting book on the subject: 'Your money or your life' by Joe Domingez. Well worth reading. One of the key items in the book is that people tend to see money as separate from their lives, whereas it is a part of life.
The aim is to get to the point where, if someone was to say: 'your money or your life', you answer 'I'll take both, thank you.'

Raising boys

2008-02-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

'Raising boys' is the title of a book by Steve Biddulph. Highly recommended!

My son Thomas is at the stage where he is educating me, instead of the other way round.
As he is becoming increasingly independent, I asked him 'How would you feel if I went to the gym for one or two hours in the weekend?', adding 'as you're such a big boy now' (turning the question into a decidedly 'leading question').
Thomas did not hesitate for one second. His reply was clear: 'I wouldn't like it at all, that's not cosy, I don't want it.' When he saw my disappointed face he said: 'well, mom, if you don't want something, you should not ask it.'
Right, I'll try to remember that.

Cabo Polonio

2008-02-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

Photograph by M Isarrualde

The last few days I haven't been online.

It was nice to be away from the computer for a few days. Enjoyed a dinner party with girl-friends, a lot of time with Thomas. And a lot of plain laziness.

Got rid of my to-do lists, ignored the chaos on my desk (which has, predictably, piled up again), ignored the dishes as well. Made the most of these sunny days. It's as if spring has started already.

Been daydreaming a lot, about Cabo Polonio for instance, a place that I have never visited. But the pictures I have seen are simply mesmerizing. Have a look at http://www.cabopolonio.com/ if you're interested.

For just plain being, Cabo Polonio seems ideal to me. While I'm saving money for a trip to my dream place, there is nothing to stop me from just being now and then, even amidst the urban jungle. Thomas enjoys it a lot too and has been chatting to me about all sorts of stuff, ranging from basket ball to music, from girls he likes to what he'd like to become when he's an adult.

And now it's time to slowly but surely get ready for the weekly routine again.

Perks & Pitfalls

2008-02-07T02:37:00.000-08:00

Like most things, working from home has its perks. And its pitfalls.

Strange but true...the perks can sometimes become pitfalls.

A few examples:

* I relish being able to work in my old clothes. Trouble is...I'm always wearing old and comfy clothes nowadays.

* As a work-at-home parent I am always there for Thomas, also when he is being a nuisance.

* As a work-at-home parent, my schedule is flexible. This means I can help out at school and other places, if required. Trouble is...if I am too flexible, my work doesn't get done.

* With the Internet I am able to work at any time of the day or night. Trouble is...taking time off becomes a challenge, as work is near at hand, only a mouse click away...

Having said that, I still definitely feel the perks outweigh the pitfalls. It's just a matter of making the most of the situation, really.

Pregnant

2008-02-05T11:35:00.001-08:00

I'm pregnant. Well, no, I am not, not in the literal sense (more's the pity).
But I feel kind of pregnant, as I am working on a new project. Soon, I'll be launching an English site: www.businessanddiapers.com

My web developer showed me what it could look like to-day and I was very enthusiastic. He's good at his job and created the crisp look I was hoping for.
The site will be mainly aimed at work-at-home moms (or in any event at moms working indepently), but will hopefully appeal to all kinds of moms, as it will deal with issues as raising children and keeping house, and not only with business.

It's a horrific cliché to talk of projects as being your babies, I know, but that's the way it feels. And a blog wouldn't be a real blog without some bold honesty here and there.

Quotation

2008-02-04T04:53:00.000-08:00

What I tend to do when I'm too busy is not write about myself, but look up an appropriate quote.
To-day is one of those days...

The quote comes from the book 'Mompreneurs online, using the Internet to build work at home success', by Patricia Cobe and Ellen Parlapiano.

"I'am a mom. I'm also a businesswoman. For the most part, I wear both caps at the same time. I've learned to leap tall buildings in a single bound and cook dinners while the files upload. Like most work-at-home moms, I get to work half days...either the first twelve hours or the last twelve hours! Did I mention I wouldn't have it any other way?"Linda Caroll, mother of three, www.lindacaroll.com

Buddy Holy, count your blessings

2008-02-03T02:59:00.000-08:00

As a work-at-home single mum I sometimes tend to dwell on my problems, losing my sense of perspective.
Sometimes a 'reality check' helps. On the news I saw terrifying images of an orphanage in Bulgaria, which made even my son Thomas (who tends to be quite 'tough') cringe. The children were skeletal, it was horrifying. Extremely sad. It definitely made me come to terms with the fact that my house is on the shabby side. I can't offer Thomas a perfect home, but compared to that of those poor children his life is heavenly.

On the third of February 1959, Buddy Holy died in a plane accident, after a concert in Iowa. 23 years old. Yet again, tragic. And yet again a reminder that it might be a good idea to stop complaining, to stop whining about my failures and cherish the things that go well.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

Shopping with kids is not exactly bliss

2008-02-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

To-day I met up with my sister Florine, she had spent a harrowing morning shopping with her youngest son David, 2 years old...and had gone through all the usual moves when children decide they are not enjoying being in a shop: screaming, laying down on the ground, making a racket and the rest.
While we were having coffee Florine told me she had grown absolutely indifferent to reactions from outsiders.
I couldn't help thinking 'gee, I am so glad that period is over', but had to readjust a couple of hours later. I went shopping for groceries with Thomas, but he spilled all the cream I had just bought. As a result we had to return to the shop, leaving a white trail behind us. I was mad. I was tired, wanted to get dinner started and the last thing I felt like doing is queuing up again. I looked angry and stern and saw people looking at Thomas in pity. Wish I could feel as indifferent as my sister when those times hit.
Anyway, after a while anger subsided and I talked to Thomas who, in turn, had decided to be mad. A tiring afternoon, all in all. Thank God it's over.

Balance / To-day's quote

2008-02-01T04:55:00.000-08:00

BALANCE
Lately I've started working for a firm of civil law notaries very near my home. I interpret for them when they have French or English-speaking clients who purchase a home in the Netherlands. When the deed of transfer and the mortgage deed are being read out and explained by the civil law notary, the interpreter tanslates the content.
Makes sense, as people would otherwise run the risk of signing something without knowing what they are getting in to.
For me it's a welcome 'diversion' and extra source of income. I do the work during school hours, which is great, as this new situation has no negative impact on Thomas whatsoever. It's nice work, because it's all about people. And, to be frank, I tend to miss people a bit, here in the comfort zone of my study. Moreover, it can be quite touching to be present (and provide a little assistance, no matter how modestly) when people enter into an important agreement, as buying a house is not something you do every day.
TO-DAY'S QUOTE
Whenever the blues hit me, I try to find solace in friendship, nature, a leisurely bath or a positive quote. Perhaps it can help you too.
To-day's quote is a Chinese proverb:
"Reduce big troubles to small ones, and small ones to nothing."
Worth trying, I'd say...

Discipline

2008-01-31T01:41:00.000-08:00

Self-discipline is one of those traits a work-at-home mom really needs.
People often ask me how I muster the discipline of getting down to business instead of paying endless phone calls to friends, watching tv during the day and Lord knows what else.
The funny thing is that my problem with discipline is altogether a different one, as I find it difficult NOT to work.
In order to achieve a better work/balance I have stopped working on Wednesdays -although I do the admin on that day-and try to steer clear from my home office at least one of the days of the weekend. Indeed, countless studies have shown that home workers spend more time working, not less.
Yesterday I did not work. I did not even update this blog. I spent time with Lara and Julie, two-year old twins. They are such fun, they are so cute. It's really difficult to become mad at them, even when they are tearing down the house. I also spent time with the apple of my eye, aka Thomas, we worked on his homework together. After a period of huge indifference with regard to school matters, he is now taking things a lot more seriously (thankfully), it's sweet to see the efforts he makes.
Come to think of it...I did work, but it was only one hour of interpreting at a civil-law notary's office. The Dutch law stipulates that when foreigners buy a property in the Netherlands, an interpreter must be present to translate the deed. This makes sense, as otherwise they might not know what they are getting into and a mortgage has far-reaching consequences.
Anyway, I really had to force myself to stay away from the computer, in the evening too, and enjoy time off.
"Nobody said on their deathbed: 'I wish I had spent more time in the office'", this quote, often mentioned in management books, is one I have to keep in mind, as it also applies to the home office...

The small business blues

2008-01-29T02:22:00.000-08:00

In my study (which, I know, I should call 'home office') I keep a diary about being a mom and the owner of a small business. My life has been so hectic and chaotic lately that the diary ended up at the bottom of a stack of documents.

Yesterday, my accountant rang, urging me to do something about the VAT-admin (deadline: 30 January!). I am late, as ever. So I spent considerable time checking all the invoices, receipts and other financial stuff from the last three months. Nothing to write home about. One of the advantages was, however, that I combined this particular chore with tidying up my study. The diary turned up again. Depressingly enough the last entry (November 07) was about my financial 'mismanagement'. Sometimes it seems as if we're stuck, unable to change.

In a book on Time Management I found a quote that was eerily appropriate:
'If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.'

Indeed!

But I also read somewhere that it's possible to make a fresh start every day, I'll try to keep it in mind.

On writing, escapism, chaos, being a mother

2008-01-27T03:49:00.000-08:00

One of the many things I enjoy about writing is the fact that you are able to travel to other worlds without leaving the comfort of your home (well, the degree of comfort of my home is debatable, but that's another issue). It's sheer escapism in a sense and very comparable to reading or enjoying a good movie. At the moment I'm working on several modest writing projects: for one of those, I imagine living on one of the Aran Islands. Nothing could be further from the truth, as I live in the urban jungle of The Hague, the Netherlands, but it is definitely enjoyable to image another life, lived in a stone cottage with a thatched roof, amongst green fields and near the ocean. The Internet has made it so easy to find information on places you've never been to yourself, it's amazing. Although I must say...I am becoming so interested in the island of Inis Meain that I probably will travel there in the not too distant future.

For another project I get to imagine being a small boy (which, again, requires the necessary imagination, as I am a woman, and forty years old at that) for some parts and an old bum for others (another leap of the imagination).

The other perk of writing is that you set your own hours (which, as a mom, is an invaluable advantage!) and that the investment requirements are very limited. A notepad and a pen. A computer. A few dictionaries and grammar books.

To-day I am not writing anything, I am being lazy. There is a huge amount of tidying up to do as chaos is thriving in my home. But what the heck, to-day is for relaxing and for reading. I am reading 'The stress-free home' by Jackie Craven. A nice book. Inspiring, well-written and with good pictures. I am figuring, I will probably never be stress-free, but perhaps I can get started on making my home stress-free...

Chaos

2008-01-26T07:27:00.001-08:00

The chaos on my desk equals the chaos in my head.

Sometimes I feel kind of overwhelmed, if truth be told. There are so many messages to answer, books to read, things to do, documents to translate and people to see that I skip cleaning house (well, not entirely, but almost...), keep cooking extremely basic and forget about tidying up my desk, as the picture above is bound to demonstrate.

Anyway, I guess that, in a not too distant future, I will have time and energy for tidying up my desk. But for now I intend to be a couch potato.

Thomas is playing with his friend Sybren and I tend to make the most of that kind of opportunity. Seize the day, as Saul Bellow would say. Capture the moment, more like it, in WAHM-terms. Anyhow, I'm off...

Being in business, staying in business

2008-01-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

If you surf the web, you can find all kinds of free information on starting a business. It's great to have all that free info available at the click of a mouse.

Surprisingly enough, there is much less info about staying in business. How do you make sure you thrive?

There are two tricks of the trade I'd like to share with you:

1) Love your customers:
Many WAHMS choose to build their business gradually over time and to keep their business relatively small (making it easier to combine with motherhood). This offers the opportunity for a personal and customized approach. I don't like my customers, I love them. I am interested in providing them with a good service, but that's not where my interest ends. I am also truly interested in how their careers are developing, what they consider important, how they are doing at a more personal level. It makes my work more pleasant and has turned out to be a business tool as well.

2) Always, always overdeliver:
I've read this piece of advice in a Dutch book on working from home ['Handboek Succesvol Thuiswerken, Edith Hagenaar] and I've taken it to heart. I always try to deliver my work way before the deadline - to the extent possible within my line of work, as the deadlines tend to be very short-and to walk an extra mile. Doing a little extra feels good and is remembered, believe me.

What about you lot, any advice on staying in business?

Thomas and the twins

2008-01-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

On Wednesdays we often receive the visit of two lovely twins: Lara and Julie.

They are two years old and extremely cute, which makes it difficult to get mad at them, even when they are being naughty.

Thomas is very sweet to them. It always amazes me how tiring it can be to hang around small children ("One hour with a child is like a ten-mile run, I read somewhere), and how enjoyable at the same time. What also strikes me, time and again, is how different I feel after spending quite some time with small kids (exhausted, but that type of exhaustion is easily solved by a good night's sleep) and after marathon translating sessions (exhausted, but no amount of sleep seems to help).

A writer's tools

2008-01-23T01:33:00.001-08:00

A writer's tools (non-exhaustive list):

*Imagination
* Life experience
* Memory
* Sensitivity
* the Internet
* A camera
* A note pad and pen
* A computer
* The 5 senses
* Books (novels, dictionaries, grammar books, you name it)

Anyone any advice on other things a writer can put to proper use?

Quote

2008-01-22T04:24:00.001-08:00

As I am in a bit of a hurry, to-day's blog is limited to a quote:

"Wow! I get to give birth and change diapers!"

It's on a notepad I bought from Chronicle Books, who also published 'Another day in paradise' by Anne Taintor inc, see the photo on the right.

Fun stuff.

Upside down

2008-01-21T07:01:00.001-08:00

As a WAHM you don't always work conventional hours. Although I am a strong believer in having some kind of schedule as a guideline, with set working days and hours, to help establish boundaries between your professional life and your personal life...in practice things do not always go according to plan.

This Monday is a case in point. For the first time in weeks there was no deadline looming and I intended to work on answering the email messages that have been piling up in my inbox and do some admin. Admittedly not a very exciting prospect, but I looked forward to having the time to do it while Thomas was at school.

But yesterday evening I first watched 'Messiah' on BBC, then read for a long while and then found I could not get to sleep at all. At one o'clock in the morning I was still wide awake. When I was finally becoming somewhat drowsy, around two in the morning, I suddenly had an idea for a story I am working on. As experience has shown that these ideas tend to vanish overnight if I don't write them down I got out of bed and enjoyed a few hours at my desk till the crack of dawn. Then slept an hour or two, had breakfast with Thomas and then got back into bed, only to wake up at lunch time. Bye shedule, bye admin, by empty inbox.

But what the heck, there is always to-morrow...

Detectives

2008-01-20T03:57:00.000-08:00

One of the problems of working from home is that boundaries between one's professional life and one's private life tend to become blurred. Whenever I have an assignment outside the home (as an interpreter, in my case) I relish the feeling I have when I return home and feel the working day is done and I am 'allowed' to enjoy my spare time.
Strangely enough it is quite difficult to allow yourself spare time when you know the work is piling up on your desk, even if you have been working like a maniac.
Anyhow, I am trying to mend my evil ways and have stopped working in the weekends and evenings, unless there is absolutely no other option.

In the weekends I enjoy spending some time reading and watching telly (admittedly not the most exciting leisure activities, but still...), and I particularly like watching detective series, like Dalziel and Pascoe, Inspector Lynley and the like.

Some research has been carried out in the matter and it turns out that people suffering from anxiety and depression often benefit from reading detective stories or watching detective series. That's probably because it is a safe way of confronting one's fears. I am lucky this weekend, yesterday I enjoyed a new Dutch series called Deadline (which reminds me of my legal translation work, but what the heck) and the Swedish Wallander and this evening I'll be enjoying the BBC's Messiah.

Business and diapers

2008-01-19T07:32:00.000-08:00

www.businessanddiapers.blogspot.com

You might think the title is a bit strange, I mean, business and diapers?
In their book on working from home, Patricia Cobe and Ellen Parlapiano aptly describe work as a mompreneur: "you are both chief diaper changer and CEO". That's what made me choose this title.

Now my son is already ten, so the diaper changing days are well and truly over...But I still relish the variety life as a WAHM brings. I deal with deadlines and with play dates, with homework and turnover figures, with business proposals and the new Harry Potter, sleepovers and admin. And I wouldn't have it any other way!

New blog

2008-01-18T09:17:00.000-08:00

This is my new English blog about the reality of being a work from home mum.