I’m embracing the freelancer’s life.
When my wife and I moved to Virginia Beach so she could take a teaching job, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to me, but I was willing to embrace whatever was to come.
Who knew that it would begin with an earthquake, soon to follow by a hurricane (really a tropical storm)? After that, we had to wait for our furniture to arrive.
From there, I spent time assessing the full time job market here and determined quickly that it’s not an inviting one for journalists. Not long after I arrived, the local paper announced it was letting more people go and shrinking the size of the paper, and, with no other paper and not too many publications based in this area, it’s slim pickings unless I can learn technical writing. And honestly, that’s something that doesn’t intrigue me very much.
However, this area does have many things going on–from sports, to tourism, to events, and, a plus for my wife and I, being close to the beach. It’s not just Virginia Beach in name only.
So, while I continue to look for work, I’m going to accept the challenges of putting together my own workday while doing what I can to enhance my skills for whatever comes my way. I’ve designed a website, Watershed Beacon, around my love of the Chesapeake Bay and the concern I have for it. I also have this site, where I will showcase the things I have done, and continue to do. I’m proud of my accomplishments, but I’m looking forward to what will come, too. This will be the place where I highlight these things. I also love photography, and that’s something I’m looking to do more of too. To that end, I’ve put together a site on PhotoShelter, which will have for sale some of what I feel are some of my best photos, and photos that I hope will be of interest to others.
I’ve landed one freelancing gig so far, and there’s the possibility of more assignments from the one client, and I’ll be covering the new MISL team in Norfolk. Beyond that, I’m going to put my Writer’s Market to good use, and continue to develop different revenue sources. While I’m fortunate that I have a very supportive wife, and one who makes enough for us to live on, I want to contribute and give us a little extra money too for emergencies and I hope, some future travel.
I’m also hopeful that I’ll finish up coursework online through the University of Massachusetts-Amherst by next spring or summer, which I know will only help me going forward.
So if you’re interested in hiring me to cover something for your organization, check out some of my clips here and email me at jlaroue@gmail.com and let me know. If you want to purchase a photo I’ve taken, check out my PhotoShelter site.
I’m stepping out a bit in faith by working on my own, but I know I can do it. I’ve got a great support system, and I’ve got the goods.
That’s my modesty speaking.
