Words every client should hear September 16, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings, Translation.3 comments
RT: @sarahdillon: A good translator isn’t expensive – just see how much a bad one really costs you & you’ll agree…
Thanks, Sarah, I could not agree more!
Interesting gig for a Spanish speaker in LA September 14, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Marketing ideas, Translation.add a comment
One of my favorite guilty pleasures, Crazy Days and Nights (my favorite celebrity gossip site), is looking for a Spanish speaking volunteer for the red carpet of the MTV Latin Awards on October 15th in Los Angeles. If I spoke Spanish I would do it in a heartbeat. Don’t expect pay, but I can only imagine all the folks you could interview for CDAN… Some things are totally worth going pro bono…
Here is the necessary info:
Out [I think he means out] intrepid red carpet reporter Gustavo Arellano has a speaking engagement on October 15th so I need a volunteer to cover the MTV Latin Awards on October 15th here in Los Angeles. You may bring someone with you. If you speak Spanish it would be a bonus. By speaking Spanish, I mean more than, Esta noche estás muy bueno. ¿Qué dice usted después de todo esto es más que la cabeza de nuevo a mi sótano, tomar unas copas y ver Sábado Gigante mientras cocino un poco de tocino. Actually, if you could say that, then that would be pretty good.
Send me an e-mail if you are interested. entlawyer90210@yahoo.com
Oh, and if any of you are going to be in Irvine on the 15th of October, go listen to Gustavo speak at UC-Irvine. I’m sure it will be great.
TGIF: Idol contestant singing Ken Leee September 11, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.2 comments
Sorry for the delay in posting this. If you follow me on Twitter you know I’ve been having problems with what day it is this week.
Everyone, you have GOT to see this!!!! This contestant on Bulgarian Idol sang Mariah Carey’s famous song, Ken Leee. I’ve added my comments to the bottom so as not to color your enjoyment of the video. 🙂
I love the judge’s question:
What language was that?
English
What I don’t understand is, why this lady was so stubborn and adamant about her ignorance.
Ken Leee”
“Don’t you mean ‘Without You’ ? ”
“No”
LOL! epic fail
Bizarro’s take on translators September 5, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Translation.2 comments
I am uncluttering my apartment (which I do when I get overworked to gain some semblance of control) and finally found this little comic strip, which I have been looking for for a while. It just cracks me up. Let me know if you need it translated 🙂
TGIF: Facebook manners and you September 4, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.2 comments
I joined Facebook a while ago and have really enjoyed reconnecting with old friends, both online and in real life. I have a lot of people who I have really cared about or were close to at one time or another, and Facebook allows me to quickly and easily reconnect with them. For example, I was able to experience President Obama’s Inauguration as well as celebrate the birthday of a friend who lives in California without actually being there through my friends’ status updates and uploaded photos.
However, there is also a downside to Facebook. You have to keep in mind who is following you when posting status updates or photos. I use Facebook purely for personal use. I do not have many friends on Facebook who are colleagues (I can count them on one hand and regularly talk to them on the phone or meet with them in real life). The reason for this is because many of my colleagues use Facebook for both personal and professional reasons, and some are connected with some of my clients. It isn’t that I lead such a wild life that it might turn them off, but I really don’t want my clients to know when I go out to dinner or reading memos about me with personal information or memories of high school. One of my friends from high school has stopped participating because she overdid it broadcasting some of her political beliefs and didn’t think about who was following her (future colleagues and coworkers).
This made me think about Facebook and Facebook etiquette. One thing that really bugs me is when people post their Twitter updates to Facebook. It’s actually pretty awkward, because Twitter and Facebook are two completely different forums – not to mention unnecessary since some people may be following you on Twitter and Facebook and don’t want to read the same thing twice. It’s no. 4 of the 10 Twitter crimes that will get you unfollowed (BTW, it’s a must-read if you are on Twitter!). Here are some other Facebook manners that you may want to consider. Watch Timmy and Alice’s bad behavior to learn the do’s and don’ts of Facebook.
What to say to your low-balling client September 3, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices.3 comments
Freelance Folder has a great article on What to Say to Your Low-Balling Client. As translators we all have deal with clients who “low-ball” us on projects. As the article explains, “If you are new to freelancing or unfamiliar with the term, “low-balling,” refers to the practice of trying to get the lowest possible price for a project. Usually a low-balled price is well below the average market rate for a particular type of work.” We have all experienced this at one point – and in some cases every single time we deal with certain translation agencies. This blog post offers four different approaches on how to deal with the client in that situation. It also lists “three scams to watch out for: the big $$$ project, the “free” sample, and the open-ended project.” If you’ve been in the business for any length of time I would hazard a guess that you have been approached by a client with one if not all of these scenarios. I know I have (numerous times). Needless to say I think it is a must-read for new and seasoned translators alike.
When it rains it pours September 2, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Random musings.add a comment
You may not be hearing from me for a little while. After two completely dead weeks with no work whatsoever I have been slammed with work that should keep me busy for the next month, if not the next two months. I’ve already turned down several jobs this morning and accepted a couple small ones to squeeze in between my big job. I will try to post if something is weighing on me or inspires me, but please don’t be worried if I am not posting as regularly here for a little while. I am once again an “overworked translator” and am loving every minute of it. I hope all of you are just as busy.
What would happen if you passed away? August 31, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Random musings.4 comments
I know this is a morbid topic, but there was a brief discussion on Zahlungspraxis this morning about an agency owner who owed a translator money – and had for the past 3 years (which I hope would never happen to me. I would be sending reminders 14 days after the bill was overdue…). It seems this person was a 1-woman show, which happens a lot in the translation industry. Someone wrote in and stated that the person in question had passed away in September 2008 and chances were slim that any creditors would receive payment from the estate.
This got me to thinking about death – and specifically about estate planning and managing your online profiles. Have you given any thought to what might happen if you were to suddenly pass away? I have given this some thought recently. It has nothing to do with the fact that I turned 40 over weekend. I started last year when my grandmother passed away and my immediate family members started talking about their wishes for their funerals, burial plans, etc. I now have a notarized Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney for my personal side of things, but what about my business and online contacts? Would your family and/or executor know where to find the bills that need to be paid?
Right now I have two outstanding invoices for work I subcontracted in the last month. If something were to happen to me I would hope my executor would find the bills and pay them, but I realized I haven’t shown her how my system works. I need to have her over and show her where to find the information she will need (and how to use my money management software). Do you have an executor? Do they know where to find your legal documents and access your financial accounts? Also, something that is never discussed by estate planners but is very important in our field: do they know who to inform if you pass away unexpectedly? Do they know how to access your e-mail and notify the various forums in which you are active?
You might want to consider asking a colleague you trust to be your “online executor.” That person should have the password to your e-mail accounts so they can set up an autoresponder to notify your colleagues and clients of your untimely death. If you have a blog and/or website, it isn’t a bad idea to give the password(s) to that person as well so that they can log on and post the bad news – and eventually shut the sites down.
Just a little food for thought. Take a few minutes this week and jot down who might need to be notified if you were in a car accident or something. Your friends and family will be very grateful you took the time to do this. It is a very stressful time and careful preparation makes things a lot easier for your loved ones.
What makes a match? August 31, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Translation.5 comments
The Medical Translation Blog has an excellent explanation of the difference between translation memories and terminology glossaries. If you haven’t seen it, be sure to check it out.
I particularly like the comment suggesting discounts for matches aren’t such a good idea. In fact, Trados used to suggest a 30/60/100 scale: 100% for anything below 85% matches (some agencies use lower percentages for matches, but in my experience anything below 85% essentially needs reworking and our full attention so translators should be paid accordingly), 60% of the full word price for 99%-85% matches and 30% of the full word price for 100% matches and repetitions. In an ideal world translators wouldn’t offer discounts for matches at all. After all, we are the ones who shelled out the money for our expensive TEnTs (translation environment tools, aka CAT tools). Why should agencies expect to be able to benefit from our business purchases? It’s not like they expect discounts because we have the right specialized dictionaries on our shelves…
I know plenty of translators who do not offer discounts – period. It’s up to each individual translator to decide whether or not it makes sense for them to offer discounts on matches. I have some clients who do not demand discounts based on Trados analyses and some who do. It makes more business sense to work for ones that do not, but I also work for agencies that do require Trados and discounts. It all depends on how busy I am when I get the request and whether they provide a TM or expect me to use mine (which is a whole other can of worms)…
BTW, I have no problems offering a discount to agencies that provide me with a fully licensed copy of their required TEnT. I don’t have to pay for it, so I have no problem passing on a discount to the agency. I have one agency that provides me with their TEnT and a year license. Once the license runs out I simply get a new license code from them. I wish more agencies did this.
TGIF: Arnold Schwarzenegger in Japanese commercials August 28, 2009
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.2 comments
This is a long video (10 minutes long), but it consists of 30 commercials that Arnold Schwarzenegger has done for the Japanese market. The videos just keep getting better as you go along, so be sure to watch the entire 10 minutes. Go grab a cuppa and sit back and enjoy a little break. Oh, I would appreciate it if one of the Japanese readers could tell me what the commercials in which he is laughing hysterically and acting psychotic are advertising. I’m guessing some kind of energy drink or nutritional supplement because it’s probably illegal to sell acid in a bottle, but I could be wrong :-).
Have a great weekend!
Musings from an overworked translator 