Tag Archives: freelancing on the road

comparisons to freelancing at a fixed location (e.g. home)

Stay tuned: the blog resumes on Saturday, 26 September

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One should beware of promises that one cannot keep. In June, I meant to resume posting after the High School Reunion. Instead, I found that this year’s tour was not going to allow time to write. I took notes, and many pictures, which I will begin sharing in this year’s version of the school exercise, “What I did on my summer vacation.” The adventure took us all over Italy, Sicily, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. The vacation is over, and Europe 2015 will end when I move into my new apartment this week.

Until then,

Smooth roads and tailwinds,

Jonathan

Freelancing: it’s not for the faint-hearted

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At the heart of this boundless life style of living and working on the road is the work. Obviously, there are many employment situations that involve constant travel, and that is a great way to test out whether you are cut out for this vagabond life. If you love your work, so much the better. You can keep it up until you retire, switch to being a consultant (a freelancing situation), or cash out. However, unless you are retired, freelancing is about the only way to bring in the money needed to live, whilst still deciding where you want to go.  Continue reading →

Living on the road: videographer

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A snowstorm was threatening. I kept an eye out on our driveway as the late December sky became ever darker. At last, a pair of headlights pulled in. My Couchsurfing guest unfolded himself from the small rental car and came to the door with a smile. Tall, lanky, with curly dark hair, and a face that had seen much of the outdoors, Hamish Roberts walked with the confidence of a man who is happy to be where he is. The snow started as soon as he carried his modest kit into our guest room. Continue reading →

Living on the road: musicians

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The sun was long gone over the Blue Ridge, though it was not officially sunset. In the shadows cast by the range, a pair of headlights came up Concord Drive and turned into our driveway. An old hatchback wagon, so full of gear that I could not make out the occupants, drove up and parked behind my car. Chris and Cristof eased themselves out and stood a moment. Christof was a head taller that Chris. Both had ready smiles and outstretched hands as they met me coming out of the house. Soon, I was showing them the bunkroom downstairs, so they could move in whatever they needed. Continue reading →

Nothing hostile in a hostel.

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Waking up gently at the top of a sleep cycle, he noticed the sunlight filtering past the window shades. He checked the watch resting on the little shelf above his bunk bed: a good night’s sleep and time to get up. As he swung his feet out and into his sandals, he noticed that half of the bunks in the room still had sleeping occupants in them. HI chicago-bunksPresumably the other half had gone to work, interviews, or other appointments already. Continue reading →

Trip update VIII: The end of the Northern Trek (2014)

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We headed north on 8 October using US 1 and ME 88 to reach Brunswick, where my cousin Rook lives. 2014-10-11 15.02.58Autumn was rapidly bursting into color. I was also looking forward to intercepting the new charger for my computer. The charger was stolen off his porch, so I was back to square one on my search for a solution.

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The Freewheeling Freelancer Stands Alone!

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A big shoutout and a public thank you to you all for following this blog. After more than one year, it is clear that this blog is here to stay. This week, I purchased a domain name for it.

Tell your friends to remember this simple URL: freewheelingfreelancer.com.

Stay tuned as the adventure continues and we continue to learn together.

Smooth roads and tailwinds,

Jonathan

Backups: cloudy and cloudless.

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Trip update: I am still in Old Lyme, Connecticut, visiting some cousins whom I have not seen in years, my aunt whom I have missed seeing for what seems like forever, and training in the hills by riding metric half-centuries, so that the riding will be more manageable when I resume the Northern Trek 2014. I have also been translating, writing and revising. I have even been fielding a request to present a class in July, which would test my responsiveness on the road.

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Deciding where to go.

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When contemplating a life on the road, one of the first questions is “Where do I go?”. Once one is out there, this question becomes “Where do I go next?” Continue reading →

Staying in touch on the road.

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Trip update: The presentation last Saturday at Florida International University went well, in my humble opinion. The crowd was small, so with all day to cover the topic of running a freelance business, we could answer everyone’s questions in depth without giving up any of the planned material.

ATIF-2014 Management Accounting

These classmates are now also friends.

Sunday, I sang my last service with the choir at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church. Tim Lester and my friends at that church made feel truly welcome. Public worship, especially with music, restores my soul and recalibrates everything for the coming week.

On Monday, I rode to Boca Raton via Fort Lauderdale. An excellent Italian lunch with Rosanna and Tommaso preceded my checking in with Ruth and Robin, who hosted me for two days while I waited for a front to pass. The time allowed me to send out estimates that I had promised, and to start this article. Wednesday, I rode the 146 km to Stuart, almost all on US Route 1, with bike lanes almost the entire distance, a warm sun balanced by cool air.

I am still in the Stuart/Fort Pierce area, hanging with world traveler Josh. For three weeks, I enjoyed warm sunshine. It is turning colder now, but worse is yet to come.

Continue reading →