On the Balls of Our A$$ets

Since  losing my job in June , I've been doing a lot of freelancing. Fortunately, while I'd been working, I'd never abandoned my side hustle . So rather than start from scratch, I've taken on additional assignments from my usual clients and pursued new opportunities in an attempt to recreate a full work day and cobble together a semi-decent paycheck. So far, it's been going well, but managing multiple deadlines can be challenging, and staying on top of invoicing has definitely proven time-consuming. To keep it all straight, I've created a color-coded Google calendar that is so (unintentionally) psychedelic,  it  will induce retirement-themed hallucinations if you stare at it long enough. All that aside, one of the biggest issues I've faced writing for many different publications is a bit more personal. I'll be busy typing away when in it comes: the dreaded request for a bio. Regardless of your background and your area of expertise, crafting an in

Before my father-in-law moved to Florida he'd come over for dinner and frequently he'd tell the same stories he'd shared during his previous visits. My husband would attempt to gently remind him that we were all familiar with whichever anecdote he was launching into by saying, "Right, Dad, we've heard this one." (A futile effort to stop our teen's manic eye-rolling) But my father-in-law, in his 80s and undaunted, would simply say, "Well, then, you're going to hear it again!" and continue. One of his favorites was a tale about the time when he, a young teacher, was hoping to move up in academia. He'd found a posting for a job he wanted but because he believed he didn't meet all the requisite qualifications, he felt he shouldn't bother pursuing it. Lamenting his perceived shortcomings to a colleague, the fellow, being older and wiser, told him, "Apply for it, Ed, and let them tell you you're not qualified!" (Wi