Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Freelance Writing During a Gas Shortage

Today was the first day in about three weeks that I didn't see long lines trailing up the road and into the local gas station when I took the kids to school. The gas shortage here in Atlanta had really gotten ugly as people drove around town searching for stations with gas. Some people were traveling 30 miles away from their homes going to 10 different stations before finding any! It was standard to see police monitoring the stations to keep heads cool under such volatile conditions.

I drive a gas guzzling minivan (hush your mouth – I need room for three booster seats and one baby seat), so as you can imagine I have never been more grateful to work from home. I have all of the necessities within a 5 mile radius of my house: grocery store and gas station (two blocks away), health food market, post station, print shop, park (for when kids are going crazy and running around the yard just won't do), kid's school and library. I'm also on the bus line if things were to really get hairy.

Even with the current economic panic and gas shortage taking place around me, I am grateful to have plenty of projects to keep me busy and pay the bills. If I hadn't left my job at the paper five years ago, today I could either be a victim of their most recent round of layoffs, or still stuck with a daily 60 minute commute – no, make that a two to three hour commute because I'd need time to search for gas. I shudder to think…

12 comments:

Carlang said...

Hush your mouth she says.

Lol.

Now is that directed as us the readers.
Or the occupants of the booster seats?

Have a lovely day.

Kimberly Ben said...

LOL - I hadn't realized it COULD apply to either until you pointed it out. You have a lovely day as well. :)

Anonymous said...

Sorry to be nit picky in my first comment on your blog (which I love, by the way.) It must be the relentless proofreader in me rearing it's ugly head. Unless you are actually closing your shutters so you can think in the dark, I think the word you are looking for is "shudder" :)

Kimberly Ben said...

OOps on my part Corky. And I thank you for pointing out that error. :)

Kimber said...

I live in Cedartown, Ga. and our local gas station actually had gas this morning! Squee!

Kimberly Ben said...

Kimber, this has been the most insane experience, hasn't it? We appear to have gas again at our local station as well. But we are in the city - near the downtown Atlanta area - so the prices are astronomical. :-(

Anonymous said...

Telecommmuting is a beautiful thing.

I only spent $47 on gas last month because I telecommuted so much.

This month is more because I was on the road driving myself, but still . . .it makes a huge difference.

Kimberly Ben said...

Yes, devon, you gotta love it! :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog, Kimberly. I've added you to my bookmarks and am looking forward to reading more of your writing.

Kimberly Ben said...

lzaykoski, I really enjoyed reading your blog, and like I said you were talking to ME in that post - I just know you were!;)

Shelly said...

I found your blog through wahm. I read your first post about how you started freelancing and I almost fell over because my biggest push into this is because we need an income RIGHT NOW.

I live about an hour or so outside of Atlanta and I have four kids under the age of 10.

As for the gas thing, thankfully at least one gas station in town has gas. They seem to alternate. When the other three run out then station A has gas. When that one runs out then station B has it. So hopefully there won't come a day when they're all out.

Kimberly Ben said...

Hi Shelly,

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.:) Yes, I know what it's like to need an income ASAP. It is definitely possible as I'm sure you've seen from other bloggers and stories on WAHM. I hope freelancing is working out for you!:)

 
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