Economically things have been difficult for everyone. However, instead of pounding the pavement hoping a big boss man will hire one of us, (my husband or me) we turn to the net to support ourselves or our own ingenuity. As I stated before my husband has opened a computer repair business and things are okay. Considering it's a new business things are picking up swiftly. However, it isn't enough "yet" to pay all of the bills.
I have been out of "employment" for the past 5 years. My husband was employed for about 3 of those 5 years, working for someone else. In between we managed as most families do on my income, which is steady and regular, every week. It isn't enough to buy a new home with, but it ties us over. Consequentially, it also adds padding to the bank account when finances are good. My work is at home in my spare time. I set my own hours and frankly wouldn't have it any other way. What do I do?
What don't I do is a better question. I write freelance for several places, this being among them. I run a couple websites, which so far haven't brought a whole bunch of money. I have affiliations to many places and Google ad sense is on my blog. I answer calls in the middle of the night for another company, but again it is on my own schedule. I also have an Ebay account to give my used stuff a second life, especially children's clothes and books. I sell used books on Amazon. I have made money off of mechanical turk while I was waiting for my tutoring students. Basically, I do a lot. However, 90% is with a computer in some way.
I live in an economically depressed area of the United States, namely Arkansas. Most people here know what a computer is, and Ebay. Most also know about Amazon and a couple of other really big internet names. However, there are barriers these local people have to break in order to make as much as I do on the internet and bring up their standard of living a little bit. The first barrier is access to a computer. Even though the local library has two, no one is allowed to use it as freely as is needed for most of the work I do. Most of the school computers are similarly locked down because of the fear of viruses. Because people don't know how to protect themselves and still use software that is apt to viruses, the restrictions on the computers that are open to the public is almost useless. Imagine not being able to visit sites where you put in personal data? Even if your an adult. Education and access to computers are still major problems.
Second is trust and beliefs. These people are simple people that believe everyone "out there" is out to steal their money. The thing is most don't have enough to bother with stealing, and if they do they already own a computer. Then there is the idea that they won't be paid for their work. In general this all comes from an extreme lack of experience. Although computers are available to the general public, no one is allowed to use them fully. Then the belief that computers are somehow evil, the work of the devil, or some such nonsense. Although this set of beliefs is very limited now, it is still available to be "heard" in pockets around town. I would say at least 20 percent actually believe this on some level.
When people ask me what I do to make a living, I get strange reactions. Some people no longer talk to me. (Oh yes it is true) Often times that question will bring a room full of chatty people to such a silence a pin could drop and you would hear it. I usually say data entry over the internet, because that is what they will be able to grasp best. However, it is much more than that. If every person here could have a computer and a high dsl line, they could make enough to pay for that dsl line every month, plus the light bill and the water bill. I could show them how. Unfortunately, I don't have a ton of computers to hand out and I would have to convince them they will get paid and the devil isn't stealing their soul. Those are hard problems to overcome.
In addition this lacking is spreading to the children. While the children do have educational software they use at school, researching (at all) is not taught. They are only taught to accept answers at face value and never to question. Imagine how that will squelch their ability to self teach themselves later. If a computer is in the home, it is mom or dads for work only. In general if mom or dad has a computer, it isn't used to it's fullest money making potential and mom and dad don't know how to or want to.
I have many people that accuse me of being independently wealthy and therefore can't understand why I live so frugally. I have had many rude remarks on everything, from my choice of vehicle (a 50cc scooter) to my choice of making a living. When I complain that I had a low month people tell me to "get a job". In reality I make more at home, in less time than most "jobs" available around here. When I say I work at home, people scrunch up their face like I'm a liar and generally don't consider it "work" or "real work". When I tell them what I do and how much i make, they get angry at me for making more than them while working less. "That must be nice." In general this place believes in 12 hour days somewhere other than home for about 8 bucks an hour. I work maybe 20 hours a week for about 18 dollars an hour, plus I don't have to pay for day care and can go to school at the same time. I don't understand why people make their life harder than it has to be based on misguided perceptions.
A woman named Jennifer Cato has done an amazing scientific fact finding study on Comcast giving false information about the speeds which customers are receiving. Jennifer did several studies on Linux and Windows proving the speed which she is paying for and the speed which she is receiving are indeed very different no matter the operating system or modem. Different how? She is getting less than she paid for! When customer service was contacted they first blamed her Linux operating system. When she used Windows to run the test they blamed her modem. When she used their modem, they blamed their OWN modem and asked her to upgrade! She is asking all Linux people with Comcast to run similar tests to clear Unbuntu.
She has contacted her attorney and may be opening a class action suite of fraud and deceptive business practices against Comcast. She has several very compelling screen shots and recorded calls to prove how deep the deception goes, right up to the Governor of West Virginia! She will be doing weekly tests to confirm her origional results. If your a Comcast customer, it might be time to check your speeds. Check out her origional blog. http://www.tuxwerx.com/Blogs/
I was in a crash, and the doctor gave me great medicine, but my back and knee wasn't healing. So, I decided to work with my body. I have been using a lot of hot showers, stretching, and muscle strengthening exercises. My knee is starting to heal finally, but my back still isn't. The only thing I can think of now is to add vitamin C and go back tot he doctors.
It is very painful. I'm only 28 but I move like a 50 year old, complete with creaks and pops. I don't think it's health. I can't sit up right for more than an hour with out pain. That's not very positive is it? What would you do in this situation?
Dody Bush
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