Where the River Runs Dry

My way of venting out my exhaustions, confusions, excitements, and aggrevations in my world & those in and around it.

A new focus

For the last four months I’ve been attending Full Sail University to get my bachelors degree in Mobile Development. So far so good. I have a high GPA and find the work fairly easy, (knock on wood). I absolutely love my Designing Computer Graphics class. It was a bit intimidating at first glance, but once I started to learn the tools its so much easier. I have a few items to add to my portfolio and others that I am going to adjust a bit before they go in.

I do hope to find some freelance work soon, since being a student is tough when you aren’t working. I’ve been trying various projects on Crowdspring, but no luck so far. Only high ratings on my designs, but none of the clients have chosen my designs yet. I spoke to a few other designers on crowdspring and they passed on some of their knowledge, that if you have no previous chosen projects from clients, it takes a lot longer for clients to choose you. If you do have work that has been chosen previously, then you have a better chance of getting your project chosen. Now if I could just get that one client to choose one of my designs.

This is the first post I’ve created since 2009. Wow! I’ve been busy with everything lately. New school, looking for a job and projects, remodeling our home, and just living life.

-UpSideDownGrl

April 18, 2011 Posted by | Full Sail University online, mobile development, web design | Leave a comment

The Beginning of the DIET

Today is the first day of my diet and workout plan. So far I haven’t had anything that was really nutrious for me unless pizza rolls and and a turkey, cheese, cracker, and butterfinger lunchable is nutrious. I did however workout for 15 minutes on the elipitcal machine. I really hate having to eat only certain things, but I’m not sure if I’m going to really worry about the diet part. The working out is more important to me right now than what I eat since I don’t really eat all that much and most of it, with the exception of today are vegetables.

My plan is to lose 15 pounds. I don’t have a time limit on doing so or anything, but just to get back into my size 1 pants is enough for me. I really just need to lose my ass. Somehow it started growing and not sure why. I know, it sounds funny and all, but I can’t help it. My ass literally will not fit into my jeans anymore. It expanded from a size 0 up to a size 9 in about a year. I didn’t change anything in my diet other than adding more vegetables and less soft drinks. Maybe its rebelling against me. I’m down to a size 4 now and have been more active and working out here and there plus it is summer. I do alot of walking in the summer and spend alot of time outdoors. My last job had me doing alot of walking and bending and now that I’m working at home again I’m afraid I’m going to gain all those inches back. So the next best thing for me is to work out on the eliptical machine as much as I can in between writing articles for clients.

So other than just working on some new projects for clients I’ve been working on my novel. Basically it is a “my life thus far” type of book but labeled fiction (for now). It’s been a work in progress for about two years now and it really hasn’t made much progress. I want to have atleast 75 pages by the end of this year. Good quality pages, not the stuff that is on the pages as I speak.

July 20, 2009 Posted by | Diets, Exercise | , | Leave a comment

TGIF: Just Another Day

Today is Friday although it doesn’t feel that way. I crawled out of bed this morning pretty much unwillingly and stumbled into the kitchen for my first cup of coffee. After mixing the coffee (instant that is), two spoons of sugar, and a bit of French Vanilla creamer I wandered into the living room where my laptop awaits my return. I open the lid to find it doing updates, so I wait. Once it completed I start checking email in hopes that my inquiry emails I sent out yesterday were answered to some aspect. Whether the response is “Sorry, but your writing does not fit our style”, or “We have received your inquiry and currently it is under review”, to “Please write an on spec article and we will get back to you once we receive it”. I’m always iffy with those types of responses. I’ve been burned before where they take that freshly written article and stick it on their website without paying or even notifying me of the event.

I have started up another blog for my writing and anything related to writing. I haven’t really written much on it as of yet, but it will be up and have some content in it before the end of the month.

–  2009 UpsideDownGrl

July 10, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Back from Vacation

Vacation was great and now its over. That makes me a bit sad, but I’m glad to be back home. DSC_4375I miss the beach, the smell of the ocean, the feel of the sand between my toes, and the cool breeze blowing in from the sea.  We spent most of our time store hopping along Atlantic Ave in Virginia Beach as well as walking on the beach early in the morning as the tide went out in Ocean View (Willoughby Spit Area).

I snapped a few photos of what the tide left behind and picked up smooth rocks and a few sponges that came in with the tide. We found a jelly fish the first day we were there and I took a photo of it. DSC_4371Now I’m back and trying to get ready to get back to work. My current job has no work available for me this week due to the holiday, so I’m surfing around on the internet looking for a few freelance writing jobs which seem to be few and far between. I’ve hooked back up with Demand Studios and have taken on a few projects, but the pay isn’t really all that good. But I guess I can pay my car insurance and my Dish bill with the pay from that. I also hooked up with HubPages but I can’t see making any money from that site. DSC_4351But my search will keep going and I’ll keep writing the little bits so I can get myself back up to the big bits. DSC_4372Now if I can just keep a good focus.

 

 

-UpSideDownGrl

July 6, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Vacation Time

I’m so excited!!! I finally get to go on a vacation. It was a last minute planning due to my work schedule, but the plan was to go to the beach and although I may not be going to the beach I wanted to go to, atleast its a beach. My plan was to visit Cape Hatteras in N.C., but after hours and hours of searching and calling hotels around the area to end up with no rooms available, we chose to go to Virginia Beach. And since I know the area we can go to various places instead of just spending the day searching for places to visit between soaking up the sun.
virginia_beach_hotels After my vacation I’m going to be looking for a new job. I love my job. I’ve been promoted and got a few raises, but it’s actually costing me money to work there. With all the driving I’m actually spending way too much on gas than I’m actually making to pay my bills. I’m looking for some more freelance writing work to fill in the money that I’m not making. So far the freelance work is some slim pickings. But maybe I’ll land something.

– UpSideDownGrl

July 1, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

A Brand New Day

Well today is a brand new day. I have a new outlook on things in the writing world… I think. I don’t want to speak too soon due to I’m usually let down or something gets changed around – not in my favor – so I don’t want to get excited or get my hopes up.

April 3, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Starting Over…

The first day of Spring.
What better day to start up my Freelance Writing Business once again. Now to just find some projects. I have my office in order, my computer waiting to get to busy, and my email waiting to receive some inquiries. I started a freelance business back in 2004 and made a great living. Then I decided I was going to go back to school full time and my freelance writing business just didn’t fit into my plan, so I shut it down at the end of 2005. I’ve tried over the last few years to get it back up and running just part time, but so far no such luck. I’ve burned myself out at times searching for hour upon hour for freelance work to come up empty handed and disappointed. Searching site upon site for work just isn’t working. Hopefully something will come thru soon.

© 2009 UpSideDownGrl

March 20, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | 2 Comments

The first snow of 2009

First Snow of 2009I can’t believe it – it’s finally snowing. Not just a little bit, but a lot.

March 1, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Happy Valentines’ Day

Wow, I haven’t written here since October 2008. What is wrong with me? I manage to keep up my facebook page and even my myspace, but an online journal, nope – just can’t seem to get it up to date. Well, starting today, I plan on at least one entry a week. I hope for more however.

Lately I’ve been working and sick. The flu and acute bronchitis – UGH. I’m getting better now though, so it was back to work Friday and now its the weekend. Yay! I’ve been trying to pull together a portfolio of my photography. I’ve been printing and printing and searching and printing some more. So far so good. Now to just find someone who is willing to look at it and possibly hire me to shoot some stock photographs or something. Any suggestions?

February 14, 2009 Posted by | Photography | 2 Comments

Happy Halloween!!!!

Well there are no plans for Halloween ’08. The only thing that may be planned is ordering food from El Rodeo, watch t.v. and play some Saints Row 2 on the Xbox 360. I used to do lots of stuff on Halloween, but this year I just don’t feel like doing much at all. Just staying in and snuggling with my man.

A friend just sent me a link and this was on of the ads – Click Here. Don’t they look comfy. Well anyhoo, this entry isn’t very long as you can tell. 

Happy Halloween!!

All Rights Reserved! © 2008 UpSideDownGrl

October 31, 2008 Posted by | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Hair—OMG

OMG I just dyed (permanent I must add) the underneathe part of my hair a blue-black color! I kinda like it, but it seems to have a bit of a greenish tint to it since my hair is blonde by nature – the blue black didn’t take as well as I thought it would. Why did I do this you ask? I’m not really sure. Here’s a pic of it, not that good because you really wouldn’t realize how hard it is to take an in focus picture of the back of your head. Try it sometime – without the tripod!

October 21, 2008 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

A Really Long Week

It’s been a pretty long week. In between the renovations and trying to find a good paying job or a job at all has been overwhelming and exhausting. The job I was working is over now until there is more for me to do. I have finally finished the last of the writing projects that I had with clients. Slowly but surely they are done and my official resigning of my writing career. 

As I still search for some design jobs, I have yet to find any, but in the mean time I am working on a lot of mock ups to use as samples. I have also dug up a few of my old designs that I created for clients back in 2005. I miss designing so much. It is one of my most loved things. 

I’ll write more later.

October 18, 2008 Posted by | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

I have quit the writing business…

Today is my last day in the writing business unless it is something for Odesk. I will gladly take on a writing project from there due to the fact that the buyers on there are willing to pay what a writer is worth and not the piddly amounts that others are trying to pay for writing.

I am however still designing web pages, logos, and working as a virtual assistant. Those things I will never quit. I have a few things to finish up for a client then my writing is done other than just writing for the fun of it like in my blogs, etc.

I have been putting up a basic free website for my web design business while I work on my permanent one and have my portfolio up along with a lot of other things. So as far as my writing career goes – it will not progress any further. Now it’s time to focus on school, web design, programming, and some graphic designs. I’m really excited about making this change in my life. I’m the UpSideDownGrl as everyone already knows and now its time to turn my life right side up. Things need to change for me – so why not start with getting rid of the things that are not working out and only work on the things that are. The things that will benefit me, my man, and the rest of us. I’m no longer going to write for pennies while others are using my writings and making quite a bit from it while I don’t get any royalties from it, just that one flat fee. Not going to happen anymore. 

Well, I guess I’ll finish up the last bit of blog post then say au voir to all my clients I write for. And hello to all my new design clients. Time to get writing. 

All Rights Reserved! © 2008 UpSideDownGrl

October 10, 2008 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Tuesday – And the World Turns yet another day!

I began designing mock logos this today. I’m at home all day today and don’t feel good at all. I have the flu or some really bad food poisoning. I’m not exactly sure. Yesterday I completed half of my sign up for college and next month I have to complete it. I’m going to get my programming degree so I can actually make some money. Writing is a lost cause. There is no money in it anymore like there use to be a few years ago. I use to be able to support myself with working as a freelance writer. Now days though no one wants to pay a writer anything but a few pennies. So going to college and working for QLF are my only choices at the moment. I want to work on some freelance web design if I can find someone who is willing to hire me (not even for the going rates for web designers) and let me get some experience and some one I can use as a reference. But many aren’t willing to take a chance. What ever happened to those who were willing to take a chance with someone and give them a chance to show what they can do for you. Now everyone is so selfish and will only let you work (with no experience) for free.

When I started working as a writer I had no experience. None what so ever. I failed English in College and barely made it thru in High School, but did anyone ask for a resume, did anyone ask how much experience and education do you have? No of course not. But today they do. And they’re asking for this info for what reason. Most of what they ask for is web content which only stays up for a month. No one actually reads articles online – they just skim it. Well I guess that is enough of me bitching about the writing world. From now on I am no longer a writer except for my blogs and websites. I will no longer be writing for anyone else unless (yes of course there’s an unless) they can pay a decent amount of money for what I write.

All Rights Reserved! ©2008 UpSideDownGrl

October 7, 2008 Posted by | blogging, Freelance Writing, Logo Designer, Uncategorized, web design, writing | , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Outsider – Me, Myself, & I

Wow, its been a while since I’ve posted anything! I’ve been working back at the shop full time for the last week. Monday I’ll be working as well after I set up my financial aid and everything else I’m going to need to start back to college in the Spring.

Something I’ve noticed over the last few months or so is that everyone treats me as an outsider. I’m no longer really included in anything and pushed to the side for other “more important things” to take my place. I don’t feel welcome anywhere – not even at home. I don’t know why – but maybe it is for a reason. Maybe to push me to move on with my life and those who are meant to be in my life, will be and those who aren’t, well they’ll be gone. 

I’m working on my Computer Information Systems (CIS) degree and will have over half of it completed within nine months. I know my plans for what I want to do with my degree and have found a shortcut to start a career in nine months instead of waiting 2 years to get my degree before I can start making the big bucks. I have met a great advisor who is helping me through the loop holes and helping me land one of the highest paying salary jobs in the area. I’m so happy and can’t wait until next September. No more having to write for pennies. I am still writing, but most of my clients have hired someone else because I have raised my rates. Blogs are now $20 -$35 per post instead of $10 and $15. Q & A  and articles up to 500 words are $45 each and my hourly rate is now $25 per hour. This is still under the current going rates for these types of articles and posts, but I feel I will still come out ahead with these rates. But many of my clients have looked for writers in India and other countries where they are willing to write for pennies – this in turn leaving American writers with no work. I have also started up web designing again. My rates for that are $50 an hour for now. Soon I hope that it will take off and I can make a pretty good income with that until I finish my degree. Well, I have to finish up the laundry and catch up on some other stuff around here.

Setting Up My Business – Today

My business name is Meisha MacKenzie. I’m setting up my site today.

October 4, 2008 Posted by | Relaxation, Uncategorized, web design | , , , , | Leave a comment

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