I’ve added an abbreviations glossary October 5, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings, Translation Sites.add a comment
Back in May when I started writing this blog I used some abbreviations that I assumed everyone understood, and that wasn’t the case. I have tried very hard to not use abbreviations in my posts so that I can address everyone – seasoned translators as well as those of you just breaking into the industry. I can’t guarantee I won’t forget that some people might not understand, so I have decided to add a glossary of abbreviations for readers to refer to if I use “T&I speak” (not to be confused with T&A speak, which I can assure you I will never use here or in real life). So if you see an abbreviation that stumps you, please let me know so that I can add it to the glossary. The glossary can be accessed at the top right-hand corner of the site.
The freelancing problem no one talks about October 2, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings.3 comments
If you subscribe to this blog on a feed reader you probably noticed that my TGIF post disappeared. That’s because I am suffering from the freelancing problem no one ever talks about – losing all track of time and having no idea what day of the week it is :-). For some reason, today felt like a Friday to me, and I posted the TGIF video I planned to post tomorrow. I realized my error a little later and deleted it, but it probably already went out to the feed readers. Sorry about that.
The Urban Muse, a great blog about writing if you aren’t familiar with it, suggested a couple weeks ago that bloggers “keep a few posts in your drafts folder.” This was one of those “aha” moments for me, and I have had a couple posts percolating as drafts ever since. Unfortunately it is also too easy to simply click on Publish before you’ve had your morning cup of coffee. I jumped the gun this morning, since I am having a slow week and lost all track of time.
This is a frequent problem, because many of us work on the weekends and either take days off during the week or never take a day off (but that really isn’t healthy). A calendar usually keeps me in line, but everyone makes mistakes.
Actually, this was a good thing in this case. I dread Fridays, because that is the day that every agency I have ever worked with – and some I haven’t ever heard of – call in the late morning/early afternoon/evening with a job that simply must be finished by Monday. Lucky for me, I now have another day before that happens. It feels like Christmas! 🙂
Confessions from an Internet junkie October 1, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings.1 comment so far
My name is Jill, and I’m an Internet addict.
I’ve been without Internet access since 7 PM last night (it’s shortly after noon as I write this). My ISP sent out a technician first thing this morning. He switched out my cable modem, the splitter both inside and outside my apartment, and the cable itself. After he left I was unable to access the Internet, but it took about an hour to work through all the other issues on the phone with Tech Support before I was finally able to get back online. It turns out the new cable modem caused my router to revolt, and this locked me in “quarantine.” The ISP page in the browser told me I needed to activate my service, but I’ve been a customer for five years now. Turns out my router needed to be rebooted for me to get online. But, hey, Skype still worked just fine the whole time, because Corinne tried to call me about our ATA presentation in the middle of all that.
Luckily I didn’t have any jobs due or anything to work on, because I had taken yesterday off to compensate for working over the weekend. I was fine about not having Internet last night (I caught up on some downloaded TV shows and read a book), but I was going through some serious withdrawal symptoms by this morning (or maybe it was just frustration at Tech Support’s complete ineptitude – it took until Level 3 to figure out the problem):
- Feeling of jumpiness or nervousness
- Anxiety
- Irritability or easily excited
- Emotional volatility, rapid emotional changes
- Depression
- Difficulty with thinking clearly
- Clammy skin
Wow, this isn’t a good feeling. I think I need to wean myself off the Internet a bit. It isn’t healthy. According to the site linked about, “Due to the nature of Internet Addiction Disorder (failed impulse control without involving an intoxicant), of all other addictions, IAD is said to be closest to pathological gambling.” Luckily my addiction doesn’t cost me a lot of money and hasn’t disrupted my “academic, social, financial, and occupational life the same way other well-documented addictions like pathological gambling, eating disorders, and alcoholism can.” In fact, the opposite is true. I truly feel the Internet benefits me in a wide variety of ways, but weaning myself off it a bit certainly isn’t a bad idea…
They say admitting you have a problem is the first step, but at least I can take comfort in the fact that I’m not alone.
Dear Abby on reading September 29, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings.1 comment so far
I love reading – always have, always will. My family used to make fun of me, because my nose was always stuck in a book – especially on vacation. Reading expanded my vocabulary and put me in the Advanced English classes in high school. My love of books and reading – and research – have made me a better translator, so I was really happy to see today’s Dear Abby column. Most of the translators I know are also big readers, so I’m confident you will all enjoy this.
DEAR ABBY: I wrote your mother back in 1985, asking her to encourage my eighth-grade students to establish the wonderful habit of reading. My letter was published in The Portland Oregonian.
I still teach eighth-graders, but now I do it in California. It has been 23 years since your mother wrote my students about the importance of reading.
Today we have computers, text messaging and cell phones. It’s a different world now, but reading is still important. Would you write a couple of paragraphs about the joys of reading in your column? Your advice will be heeded by my students and many other students in the country who read your column. Kids relate to celebrities, and you are definitely famous. Thank you for your help. — RAY SMYTHE, PALM SPRINGS, CALIF.
DEAR RAY AND DEAR STUDENTS: I’m glad to oblige. For anyone who doesn’t already know, books are magic! Crack open a book and you will be instantly transported into the past, propelled into the future — or if you choose — escape into a world of fantasy. The options are endless.
But while history, science fiction, mysteries and romance provide a wealth of diversion, reading provides far more than just an escape. The greatest ideas of our most gifted thinkers lie between the covers of books waiting for you to discover them. And don’t be put off if the books are labeled “classics.” That word means only that they have been enjoyed by every single generation who has read them.
Reading is also a vital skill. Perusing a newspaper or doing research online, in addition to expanding your mind, can also be your transport to a successful future. And there is no more effective way to learn to write than by reading.
P.S. If this skill does not come easily for you, remember that libraries offer classes in literacy. There is no shame in needing extra help in learning to read, regardless of your age. The only shame is in not admitting it so you can get the help you need.
A beautiful fall morning in Amish country September 22, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings.8 comments
Today is the first day of autumn. I’m suffering from translator’s block at the moment, which is a post planned for another day, but I wanted to share my joy of a beautiful fall morning spent meeting a friend for breakfast in Geauga County’s Amish country. Without a doubt, the number one joy of being a freelance translator is the ability to schedule your time as you see fit. I met a friend from high school for breakfast this morning. We spent two hours chatting about our lives, our former classmates, and her kids and husband over our Amish breakfasts. It was fabulous, but not near as fabulous as the 30-minute drive through Amish country. That’s the beauty of where I live – thirty minutes from Amish country and twenty minutes from downtown Cleveland.
Autumn is without a doubt my favorite season. The crisp air, the breathtaking fall colors, the smell of bonfires, apple cider, high school football games… It was still quite foggy this morning as I set out for Middlefield, which was featured on Rachel Ray’s television show a couple weeks ago. Driving through the fog on the highway past LaDue Reservoir, which is breathtaking no matter what the weather is, was movie-backdrop gorgeous. The leaves are just starting to turn red and gold, and it was still a little chilly at 8:30 a.m. (it’s 70 degrees and sunny right now as I write this). The two-lane highway merged to one lane after crossing the reservoir, and I was soon driving past old farmhouses, front yard ponds, and orchards and road-side produce stands. As I got closer to Middlefield I kept my eyes peeled for horse-drawn buggies (someone crashed into one two days ago and killed a 7-year-old Amish boy and injured his three brothers in Ashtabula County). Driving past farmhouses with well-tended pastures and no electrical lines to mar the view always makes me smile and yearn for simpler times (but I would never want to give up my computer or running water!).
I got to Mary Yoder’s Amish Kitchen just in time, and we sat at a table by the window where we could watch the horse-drawn buggies go by. I will be full from the breakfast buffet almost all day. I crashed the grade behind ours’ 20th high school reunion last weekend and had a lot to share with her, but that isn’t an excuse. We always talk for at least two hours when we meet for breakfast there. I drove home with the windows down. On the way home I had to slow down to 20 mph to wait for a chance to pass the buggy in front of me. I also stopped at the road-side produce stand to buy some peaches and apples. It was a perfect fall morning in Amish country. Now if I could only motivate myself to start my big translation…
Do you Twitter? September 22, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings, Tools.5 comments
I’m pretty new to the social networking arena, so I’m a little confused about what the benefits are and how I can make social networking work for me. It took me forever to join LinkedIn, but I certainly don’t use it for anything other than a place to post my resume and network with colleagues (but even that seems kind of lame – I get the impression that a lot of people there are simply trying to collect as many connections as possible instead of linking up with friends and good acquaintances). The one thing I really like about it is that I have been able to catch up with old friends and co-workers from Germany – and discovered that my friend and colleague in Seattle is good friends with one of my old Translingua co-workers. The world is getting really small…
I haven’t signed up for Facebook, MySpace or Friendster, because it seems too social – and, as we know, we translators are not big on the social skills. 🙂 But seriously, it’s a bit too much information for my taste. Sure, I have a blog and share bits and pieces of my life on it, but I don’t let it all hang out like some folks on Facebook do.
However, I think Twitter could be useful to a freelance translator if enough of our clients were also using it. Instead of sharing the mundane details of your life (as most people there do), you could post that you are translating a 19,000 word job this week and are unavailable for new projects. This could save project managers from skyping or calling me to see if I am available for their 6,000 word job this week. Or maybe I have misunderstood what Twitter is all about. So, if you use Twitter I would really appreciate it if you could share your experiences with me (us) and tell us how you use it.
There is going to be a presentation on social networking at the ATA conference in Orlando that I am really looking forward to attending (Social Networking: How to Practice One of the Most Effective Marketing Tools Today, Saturday from 4 to 5 PM), but I have no patience and want to know about Twitter now 🙂
GITS Blog: Seven things I love about being a freelance translator September 19, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings, Translation Sites.3 comments
Hey folks, if you haven’t read Ryan’s post on The GITS Blog, Seven things I love about being a freelance translator, you should click to it right now. We get caught up in the cycle of complaining about clients and talking about how tough freelancing can be, but it’s important to also focus on the positive side of freelancing. There are a lot of benefits to freelancing, and I agree wholeheartedly with all seven of Ryan’s points. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go take advantage of point number three (“I can work from anywhere”) and go work at a local restaurant with several folks from my Coworking/Work at Home Meetup group. OK, it isn’t quite the point he was trying to make, but I do love the fact that I can truly work from anywhere. Plus, I can work for clients from all over the world out of a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and enjoy a good standard of living (and buy a nice house for $150,000, which is impossible on the East and West coasts).
TGIF: You too can learn another language September 19, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, Random musings.1 comment so far
Just like the goldfish clip from about a month ago, this ad with the bilingual cat and the lazy dog makes me laugh. This would never happen at my house. My dog barks at anyone who even walks on the sidewalk across the street – except for the Animal Control guy who was going to put out a trap to catch the skunk that sprayed my dog last Saturday. He left because Lily didn’t bark when he pulled up, so I didn’t know he was there (my doorbell isn’t working at the moment, but I don’t get many visitors so I don’t feel the need to run right out and fix it).
Yes, I’m in a run-on sentence kind of mood today…
Oktoberfest! September 19, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in German culture, Random musings.1 comment so far
Thank goodness it’s Friday, and I’m taking a road trip to Cincinnati for the Zinzinnati Oktoberfest, which is proclaimed to be the world’s second largest celebration of Prince Ludwig’s wedding by the Guinness Book of Records. Having attended the Oktoberfest in Munich in 1997, I look forward to comparing the two. Hopefully there will be fewer drunk Italians in Cincinnati – although I have a feeling there will be just as many drunk Americans there. 🙂
The history of Oktoberfest dates back to the year 1820 when Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig I decided to marry Saxony Princess Therese and organized a great holiday on the 12th of October. He invited all the residents of the city to join the celebration. The holiday was repeated at the same date the following year, and very soon it became a tradition.
The most common question I usually get asked is why Oktoberfest is celebrated in September. The date of the festival was changed near the end of the 19th century so it can be celebrated while it is still warm out. The Munich Oktoberfest takes place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. It is one of the most famous events in the city and the world’s largest fair, with some six million people attending every year, and is an important part of Bavarian culture. Bavarians and lots of foreign guests drink about 6 million liters of beer, consume approx. 1 million chickens, approx. 400 thousand wurst and sausages and other local cuisine, such as Käsespätzle (spaetzel mixed with melted cheese and onions), roast ox tail, and Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes). Thirty percent o
f all the beer produced by Bavarian breweries is consumed during this festival.
The Oktoberfest is a lot more than just eating and drinking. You may be surprised to hear that there are lots of amusement park rides and souvenir vendors as well. There are currently fourteen main tents at the Oktoberfest. The tents themselves are non-permanent structures that are constructed for and only used during the festival. The beer (or wine or champagne) served in each is brought to an accompanying table by women in Dirndl (traditional Bavarian dress). These women can carry up to 12 heavy Maßkrüge (a Maßkrug (aka Maß) is a 1-liter beer mug, plural: Maßkrüge) at once. It’s amazing. Seating can be hard to come by, because many people reserve space in tents up to a year in advance. More than 6 million people come to the Oktoberfest, and there are only about 100,000 available seats. If you want a seat, come a little later in the day or try your luck in one of the tents without a line, like the Spaten or Hippodrom tents.
You should fight the urge to take one of the Maßkrug home with you. The Maßkrüge are made from heavy glass – really heavy glass so they are not a good souvenir for backpackers! – and typically have a decorative brewery logo on the side, making them very popular souvenirs among visitors. Although it is strictly forbidden to steal the mugs, they can be purchased in the tents at a “reasonable” price. Buyers are strongly advised to keep the receipts because police are known to search them for stolen mugs even away from the fest area. When police catch someone stealing a mug, the thieves may be fined up to €50. There is also a general Oktoberfest souvenir mug that features that year’s Oktoberfest poster. This one is made of clay instead of glass and is available with a tin lid.
For those of you heading to the Oktoberfest in Munich, here is a fun little Wiesn dictionary for you. I’ll miss the tapping in Cincinnati, but in just a few hours many people will be hearing O’zapft is! (it’s tapped!) in Munich.
9/22/08: For photos of our weekend at the Zinzinnati Oktoberfest, click here! Unfortunately, the sausage in Cincinnati is sadly lacking. They consider Weisswurst to be a Brat and sell something called Mett, which is nothing like the Mettwurst I am familiar with in Germany. German Mett is raw minced pork and is usually served on bread rolls (Mettbrötchen) or sliced bread, frequently with a garnish of raw onion rings or diced. Not my cup of tea, but my sister loved it. Cincinnati’s Mett is more like a kielbasa. The pastries like Bienenstich, chocolate mousse cake or Schmidt’s Jumbo Cream Puffs were to die for though! And of course the beer was awesome! One gem is the Hofbräuhaus in Newport, just across the river. I felt like I was at my favorite beer garden in Germany (Schaumburger Hof). There were even real Germans there 🙂 It’s an absolute must for German culture fans! I’ll definitely be back!
Top 10 rules for working from home September 17, 2008
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings.10 comments
In these days of high gas prices and rising living expenses in general, telecommuting is a hot topic. Many people aspire to work from home, which offers you the freedom to tailor your hours around childcare and cut out unnecessary travel and clothing expenses, office distractions and the need to work 9-5. We translators are ahead of the game, so to speak. Here are my top 10 rules for working from home.
1. Set office hours and stick to them.
The beauty of working from home is you can work whenever it suits you, but it is easy to drift away and do other things – or just the opposite, work the whole day. Decide on a set schedule and stick with it. Keep a log if you have to. You might want to kick-start your day by taking a walk around the block or scheduling a shower at 9 a.m. and then getting to work.
2. Get dressed.
It is hard to feel efficient when talking to a potential customer in your pajamas. I’m not advocating wearing a blouse and a skirt or a suit and tie, but at least lose the pajamas. My favorite organizational guru, FlyLady, insists that you should always “get dressed to lace up shoes” when you first get up in the morning. This means fix your hair and face too. According to FlyLady, “you act different when you have clothes and shoes on.” As for why the shoes should be laced, “putting shoes on your feet that lace up are better than slip-ons or sandals, because they are harder to take off. Instead of kicking your shoes off for a quick snooze on the couch, you actually have to go to a bit more trouble.”
3. Avoid the television during your office hours.
I know this seems like a given, but I have heard from several colleagues who had trouble managing their time in the beginning because they were watching their soaps instead of sending out resumes to potential clients. It is so easy to get sucked into a television program and put off your work – especially if you do not have a looming deadline. Keep the TV off during your office hours or be very regimented about turning it off after a scheduled break. I love Law and Order marathons as much as the next person, but I don’t watch them if I have a looming deadline.
4. Create a separate office space.
Ideally this is a separate room, with a door you can shut at the end of your office hours. If you haven’t got enough space, think carefully about where you want to work. Keeping a computer in the corner of your bedroom is not a good idea. Bedrooms should be a place to unwind and relax – not have a constant reminder that you can quickly check your e-mail. If you have to, partition a space off in the living room or dining room with a screen.
4. Plan your day.
Make a to-do list and do things in order of importance. Keep up with your e-mail. Answer e-mail as soon as you can before it becomes overwhelming. Make the difficult calls when you are starting your day, because putting them off and dreading them can sap your energy all day.
5. Have a clutter-free desk.
Think of your desk as a place of action. At the end of each day, put everything away and update your job board. I love starting each day with a clear desk. Keep the minimum of essential items such as pens and a few stationery supplies on your desk. Try and work on one project at a time so you can keep focused.
6. Don’t let post-its clutter up your desk.
If you have too many post-its you will start ignoring them. Keep a notebook or log to record phone calls on rather than post-its and scraps of paper.
7. File stuff away as soon as you can.
Invest in a filing cabinet and personalize your filing system. Also, does it really need to be in alphabetical order? Why not file the items chronologically at the front of a folder? I have four files for each business year and file invoices, bank statements, pay stubs, bills, etc. in chronological order. More on this another day.
8. Turn off the lights and close the office door at the end of the day.
It is so easy to keep the computer on and check the e-mail before you go to bed. One of my colleagues does not answer her phone outside her business hours, which she clearly states on her answering machine message. It isn’t healthy to be accessible 24/7. Our customers don’t usually work 24/7, so they shouldn’t expect you to.
9. Communicate your boundaries with your customers.
If you get up at 5 a.m. so you are available to take your kids to school or are a night owl, let your customers know. My customers know I do not get in the office until 10 a.m. because I work best later in the day. I also avoid working with customers who don’t respect boundaries. Unless they have a valid reason for doing so and are in a life-and-death emergency situation, if an agency calls me at 3 a.m., 8 p.m. on a Friday night or even Sunday night (these examples have all happened to me at one time or another) I cross them off my mental list of customers. If the customer’s expectations are unrealistic tell them and explain why.
10. Be sure you get some “me time.”
Take weekends or a couple days during the week off. Schedule time to exercise. Get a monthly massage. Take a walk in the park a couple days a week. Down time is so important.
If you follow these 10 simple rules you will find working from home to be more enjoyable and rewarding than it would be otherwise. Give it a try and see for yourself. Did I miss something? Tell me in the comments!
Musings from an overworked translator 