09
2011Giving Thanks To All My Wonderful Clients
I *loved* the cheesecake pops
Today was turkey-less but very productive. I’m actively trying to avoid photos of all the Thanksgiving dinners out there and trying to ignore the fact that the weather has been impeccable this weekend (over 20C every day) while I cleaned my house all morning and hunkered down over my computer for the rest of the day and night. I walked away from the 9-5 life years ago and there’s no way I’m going back, even if it means working 32 days in a row during wedding high season and editing until the cows come home. (Those darn cows still aren’t home.)
I have a very unconventional life and sometimes I have to make sacrifices. In the long run, I know it is worth it because I’m in the business of making people happy and my work will outlive me. I live for the thought that someday far in the future, long after I’m gone, someone will dig out a photo of their grandparents getting married and smile at pictures I took of their beaming family in 2011.
So on that note, I raise a mug of hot tea and toast all my clients who take a chance on me to capture important moments in their lives. THANK YOU!!
Nigel
Heh, one of those I wished I was running my own show 🙂 Though, I’d definitely argue that my job isn’t 9-5 at all! (I work for a startup)
Gail
You know, I worked from home for most of the past 11 years, and I’ve decided that working at home during office hours isn’t what works for me, either. I find it’s better when I work directly with people. After all those years working mostly solo, I’m happy being in a team regularly for 25 hours a week, my own clients (plus their nearest and dearest), and then patients rounding out the total is the formula that works for me — a triple life, all different people.
Zhu
I admire the way you manage to do everything and then more. An office job, the photography job, volunteering… I want to get out of the 9 to 5 and it’s inspiring to see that indeed, you can even though there is always a trade-off.
Gail
Thanks, Zhu! Yes, there is always a trade-off, otherwise more people would be doing this (or maybe this is an optimistic view on my part). In my current circumstances, this works for me. I don’t have a family to take care of, so I’ve chosen to include people in my life in other ways. I doubt I’d have this particular lifestyle if life continued as I’d hoped after 2005. Or maybe it would, but I’d have more support.