The best laid plans of mice and men…and of Suzelle…

Several months ago, I wrote a post about how I was going to take an EFA class on macros in April. Macros, for those of you who are unfamiliar with them, are keyboard shortcuts tied to commands in MS Word. They make an editor’s work go faster and the editor more efficient. And I am all about efficiency in my work and learning how to improve it.

I shuffled my long-term schedule around to accommodate the six weeks during which I would be taking the class. The class was to be from April 18 to May 29.

Alas, last week I received an email from the EFA saying that, unfortunately, the macros class could not begin in April. It would begin later in the year, but not before the end of May.

I understand that things come up in the lives of people and organizations. I am not angry at all about this. Nor am I cursing anyone or anything for it.

I am, however, rather torn. You see, my husband and I have a vacation scheduled for Thursday, June 23 through Sunday, June 26–our first vacation in three years (thanks to the pandemic). We have already put down a deposit at the hotel, and only 75 percent of that deposit is refundable. I am all about complete separation between work and leisure time, and I refuse to take my laptop to this beach hotel and work on my classwork and homework for the class there. Work time is work time; leisure time is leisure time.

On the other hand, I run the risk of falling behind in the class (albeit slightly, but still…) if I do not work on it for four days in a week. And if that week ends up being the first week of class, I am in deep doo-doo.

Bottom line: I have already been in touch with a super-helpful EFA staff member about refunds, and they assured me that the EFA will accommodate refunds when the new class dates are announced. If the new six-week class period overlaps with my vacation, I will be forced to ask for a refund, for the good of both the class and my vacation. After that, I will keep my eyes peeled for when the class will be offered again. I really hope it will be.

And so goes the work/life balance–a very important thing.

I studied science. I have a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in biochemistry.

I know that cancer begins with the genes in a cell. The genes cause changes that make the cell cancerous.

Likewise, I know that a virus contains either DNA or RNA (not both, as in a cell). And the DNA or RNA in a virus can mutate. That is how, for example, we get variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19).

Now, this is where you might think I’m crazy. I sometimes wonder if the genes in cells and viruses are somehow sentient and know what pain and trouble they will cause people when they mutate. For example, one cell in Jenny’s breast tissue might be saying, “Hmmm. I think that in this gene, I will swap a guanine for a cytosine. Let’s see if that teaches her to wear such tight bras!” Bad, bad cell.

Or if the SARS-CoV-2 virus is saying, “Hmmm. Those people think they have beaten me with their vaccines, huh? I’ll just change an adenosine to a thymine over here, and…BAM! The vaccine won’t work and people will suffer again.”

Okay, I admit, that’s weird talk. I know that genes don’t think.

This is where this post turns serious.

Today would have been the 60th birthday of a friend who succumbed to cancer in 2019. He was taken too soon. I remember his funeral at our church: the huge auditorium was close to filled, the worship band played such powerful songs, his children and business partner and wife (a close friend of mine) gave eulogies.

Cancer is such a jerk. My mother survived it and, thankfully, is now in remission, but it made her suffer a great deal and I remember watching her suffer. It wasn’t easy on anyone in the family, especially Mom.

COVID, too, is a jerk. I don’t personally know anyone who died or was hospitalized from it, but I know of people who did. One gentleman I know spoke to me of a young man he knew who was afflicted with the disease. His ventilator was removed only because he had no hope of living and the hospital needed the ventilator for a person who did have hope. And I still can’t get over seeing images on TV of huge refrigerators being used to store bodies.

Sometimes I wish genes could think–specifically, of the horrible potential damage they can do just by mutating one nucleotide base pair. (There is a large number of diseases that can also be caused by gene mutations; it would take days to write about all of them, but the people who have these diseases suffer just as much, if not more.) Then maybe the genes would think twice before they mutate.

Just thinking.

Please allow me to talk a little about my past.

Once upon a time, I was unemployed. I had left the world of laboratory work (or, more accurately, the world of laboratory work chewed me up and spit me out) and I was left jobless. Wanting to continue being a productive member of society, I began job hunting.

I’m sure that everyone today knows that this is done online; long gone are the days of physically going to a potential employer’s office and filling out an application. If you try this today, you will most likely hear, “Go to our website and apply online.”

I have had varying experiences with online applying.

One very popular job board today is Indeed.com. I used this a great, great deal during my job searching days, and it has come a long way since I used it regularly. These days, it can show you the details of a job you are interested in while still showing you the results of your keyword search in another half of the screen. I think this is genius. Back when I was using it, I had to click on the Back button of my browser to get back to my search results from the details of a certain job. Indeed also allows you to create a resume for use on their site–a feature which I have never used, since I like to write my own resume and include it with each job application.

Another popular choice is LinkedIn. Besides being a good form of social media (although at times it does resemble Facebook), LinkedIn has a feature in which you, after setting up your profile, can browse jobs which match your profile. Some of the jobs will even allow you to apply with just your LinkedIn profile. Many, however, will want your profile plus other items, such as a resume and cover letter; some will even want you to fill out an online application as well. Bottom line: if you have a LinkedIn profile (and, in my opinion, you should), make sure to keep it up to date!

The most luck I had while job searching, however, was to look at jobs which were on the company/organization’s own website. Many job postings lurk there while not being found on Indeed, LinkedIn, or other job boards. If you need help deciding on a company whose website to search for jobs, look at the companies that come up on LinkedIn or Indeed, or run a Google search for, say, “Cancer research organizations.”

And what about CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com? They are SO two decades ago. Don’t bother with them.

I wish you the best!

One could file the following post under “How should I have known?”

I was contacted by a graduate student from an unnamed institution this past week (because of the name and nationality, I could not tell the student’s gender, so I will refer to the student as “they.”) They had a master’s thesis that they wanted copyedited, and the topic (molecular biology) was right up my alley. They also said they were given my name by their advisor. Sounded great, right? Well…There were several things about the email request that concerned me.

First, the student did not address me by name.

Second, they did not name their educational institution or give their advisor’s name.

Third, the email originated from a live.com address, not an address from any kind of institution.

Fourth, the deadline was rather tight.

So, saying “Better safe than sorry,” I turned the job down, telling the student that I did not believe I was the ideal editor for their work and wishing them well. I also showed the email to the Editorial Freelancer’s Association Discussion List to get my colleagues’ opinion on whether this request was legit.

The good people at the EFA did some excellent detective work and found out which institution the student was from and their advisor’s name. So let us found out where I went wrong:

1. They may have not addressed me by name because they could not tell my gender from my name.
2. A live.com address is legitimate; the student may only be using their school email address for communication with faculty and other students.
3. Many students who are unfamiliar with copyediting underestimate the time it will take to do so.

Therefore, I lost out on a gig. I am wiser for next time, and hoping my reputation has not been tarnished.

Onwards and upwards.

Hello, readers.

Let me first and foremost say that my blog is not and was never meant to be a political one. However, I do not wish to bury my head in the sand regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this week.

I was horrified by some of the images of the invasion that the news showed me this week. I can recall the camera shot of the city square in Kyiv with the Motherland Monument in full view with its arms outstretched, the streets empty as the terrifying wail of the siren filled the air. And that of the Russian tanks marching across the Ukrainian border like hungry monsters.

I keep thinking, “Putin, what did the Ukrainian people ever do to you?”

What I am torn about is how much we in the US should get involved. I know we have some troops over there and my heart breaks for each of these brave soldiers and their families. I personally don’t want another Iraq or Afghanistan. Biden has put sanctions on Russia; will that stop them or make them angrier? The sanctions are already starting to (slightly) affect my life in the form of the cost of gas and the fact that Apple deleted a song from my iTunes which happens to be by a Russian rock band (a song which I downloaded four years ago and which has nothing to do with war). The song was grayed out in my library.

On the other hand, we cannot just sit on our duffs and watch this happen. The people of Ukraine are desperately leaving the country and becoming refugees. They are suffering. They are getting hurt and killed for an evil reason. We have to do something. This reminds me way too much of what history taught me about World War II.

Has World War III begun?

I will leave it here.

Let me say it right now. If you want to work typical “9 to 5” hours, then freelance editing (or editing of any kind, for that matter) is not for you.

I worked for a few hours last Saturday afternoon; I did that so I could meet a deadline. Back in November, I worked Black Friday, while many folks were at the stores (not that I wanted to be at the stores). And I plan to work tomorrow, which is Presidents Day. (I know that not everybody gets a long weekend the third week of February, but a lot of people do, and many [though not all] of them might grumble if they had to work on that Monday.)

Ah, but I’m not here to whine and moan. Freelancing has plenty of advantages with regards to time. For example, if you are a night owl by nature, you can work in the evening or at night and sleep late in the morning. If you charge by the hour, you are only paid for the hours during which you actually work. This means that you don’t have to feel guilty if you take a break to have a snack (as long as you remember to turn off your timer).

You can also give yourself a day off if you need it or even want it. Last summer, I did not go on a vacation per se, but I did give myself one day off so I could visit Hersheypark. (Yes, it really is spelled as one word.) Or you can give yourself a day off if you need it to attend to an elderly relative. (I should add that if you take one or more days off, your clients need to know that you will be unavailable those days.)

One interesting thing I have found about freelance editing is that the common adage, “Poor planning on your part does not make an emergency on my part,” does not apply. Poor planning on your client’s part does and will make an emergency on your part. That’s part of the business. But then there are days when there is no editing to do. On these days, you must plan your marketing, tidy up, read books on editing and/or business…you should be doing things that are constructive.

If you are a freelance editor, how do YOU plan your days? Please let me know in the comments.

About a month ago, my professional career was dealt a blow. Not the most severe one it has withstood, but still a blow.

A conference, given by one of my professional organizations and which was supposed to take place this August, was canceled. Not postponed. Canceled. With a capital C. Can we guess why?

This happened even before registration opened. I had been planning to go to this conference, which was supposed to be my first ever professional event as an editor, for a long time. The really awesome thing had been that it was supposed to take place in Alexandria, Virginia, which is in the same metropolitan area where I live, and so I could have commuted and not had to stay in a hotel. My mother, bless her heart, had even offered me the convenience of staying at my parents’ home, which is near a Metro subway station, during the three-day conference and taking the Metro to Alexandria every day.

None of that is going to happen now.

The icing on the cake (sarcasm) is that this particular professional organization has a conference only once every three years or so–not annually. So there goes my chance for a long time. *sigh*

Another professional organization of which I am a member is having a conference in the early spring in San Antonio, Texas. I have known about this one since before registration opened last fall, and let’s just say I would love to go. I also give kudos to the organization for not canceling due to you-know-what. There’s just one problem…

M-O-N-E-Y.

In order to pay the conference fee, the hotel, the plane tickets, the ground transportation fees, and for meals, I would have to make a huge dent in my business account–one that I cannot afford to make. *sigh*

I would have loved to see San Antonio as well; I have never been to Texas.

So what’s an editor trying to learn, grow and network to do?

I’m going to keep saving money until the next conference that I know of comes up. It will be in the spring of 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Hey, I can drive there in less than a day!

Dear readers, have any of you been to Columbus? What is it like? Please let me know in the comments.

My mother told me not too long ago that ever since I became an editor, I have been speaking better English.

The funny things about her compliment are (1) I didn’t even notice that my spoken English was better, and (2) I was not even consciously trying to speak better English.

I guess it goes with the profession. Don’t tell writers to use grammatically correct language when you don’t even do so yourself. In other words, practice what you preach.

I’ve found, however, that there are times when I do make a conscious effort to improve my grammar, both in speaking and in writing. For example, even though The Chicago Manual of Style says this is acceptable, I personally don’t like the use of “that” when referring to people. “That,” in my opinion, is for objects and animals. It is for this reason that I say, “The man who is married to Penny,” instead of “The man that is married to Penny.” The former just sounds so much better to me.

Or the use of the subjective vs. objective pronouns. At this point, I would not say, “Julie and me went to the arcade.” It’s easy to remember how to measure the correctness of such a sentence; cover up “Julie and” and read the rest of the sentence. “Me went to the arcade.” You wouldn’t say that, would you? That’s how I know I should say, “Julie and I went to the arcade.”

It works the same with reflexive pronouns. “Ronny, Johnny, Donny, and myself went to see the CEO.” Cover up everything to left of “myself” and read the sentence. See how incorrect it sounds? It should be “Ronny, Johnny, Donny, and I…”

My informal writing (mostly writing emails to friends) has improved as well, although I’m still occasionally guilty of writing to imitate speech, such as “I been trying…” Ohhhh…shame on me.

One word of caution: I’m not going to get into the who vs. whom argument in this post. Although “whom” is correct whenever an objective pronoun is called for, I (and several other editors) believe it is often too formal, especially in speech. “With whom did you go to the Sex Pistols concert?” Can you see a punk rock fan saying that? (Okay, maybe I’m stereotyping.)

Do you have any strong opinions on grammatical issues?

Last week, I blogged about working in silence versus working with music on, and I stated that I preferred silence for my editing. This week, however, I have not been working in silence. I’ve been working with a much different kind of soundtrack than what I am used to:

BANG! BANG! POUND! POUND! BZZZZZZZZ! GRRRROWWW!

That’s right. My husband and I are getting our tub converted into a walk-in shower, and so we’ve had contractors in our condo most of the week. They began demolition last Wednesday, installed the shower Thursday, and are now working on drywall and painting. The shower doors will be installed two weeks or so from now; for the time being, there is a curtain so that we can use the shower. More drywall will be put up this coming week.

But I digress. I love our new shower and I am incredibly thankful that we were able to replace our tub with it. However, the noise of the project has made for some interesting workdays.

Believe it or not, although unpleasant, the frequent banging, pounding, and drilling is bearable because the contractors have been polite enough to keep the bathroom door (which is right across from the door to our office room) closed and speak to each other softly. I’ve also been keeping the office room door closed. I still sometimes wince when I hear a drill or saw whining loudly, but the contractors can only do so much to keep the noise level down.

And surprisingly enough, having contractors in the condo during the weekday has an advantage.

Normally, during the workday, I sometimes stop my Toggl timer (which tracks how much time I spend working) and go out into the living room and take a break for fifteen or twenty minutes. With the contractors around, however, I’m less likely to do so. This is because they often go in and out of the condo, taking a path through the living room. I don’t want them to see me in there and think that I am goofing off or that I don’t really work. Hence, I’m more likely to stay in the office room and get more work done. If my brain is really fried, I can get up out of my chair and lie on the wall-to-wall carpet in the office room for ten minutes while I recharge. (Not the most comfortable thing, I know, but it does help my mind.)

Have you ever had workers in your home while you were working at home? How did it affect you?

Some people might ask, “Do you listen to music as you edit, Suzelle?”

The answer is a resounding NO.

Now, this is not to say that I don’t like music in general. I adore music of many kinds. When I am not working, I listen to classic rock, modern rock, metal, techno, classical, R&B, progressive, even rap when I am in the mood. If you didn’t know me and you looked at my iTunes library, you would be very puzzled as to what kind of person I am.

It’s only natural, then, that a person might ask me if I have music on while I edit.

I do not, because I love music so much that it would be distracting to me while I work. Picture yourself at your job. Your lover (or fantasy lover) comes into your workplace and sneaks up behind you and starts stroking your hair and hugging and kissing you while you are trying to get things done and meet deadlines. Sure, it feels wonderful, but it’s also stressful because you aren’t getting your work done. That is how I would feel if I had music on while I worked.

Editing is brain work, and if the part of my brain that should be editing is taken up instead by music, I can’t get anything done. Period.

Interestingly, some of the editors in my professional organizations listen to music while they edit–but it’s always instrumental music of some kind, such as classical or New Age. Nothing with lyrics. And I can understand that, because lyrics are words, and an editor’s work consists of words, and if the two are mixed together, the result is a jumbled mess of words. Make sense?

In college, I knew people who had to have music (with lyrics) on while they studied. I failed to see how they could do it, and even at my age, I could not do it now.

Do you listen to music while you work (whether you are an editor or not)? How does it work for you?