Frustrations of a Part-Timer

As a consulting part-timer, its gets really frustrating to submit a bill and not have it paid til three months after the submission. Especially since I work eight hours week, but never a full 32 hours a month - I mean seriously,  you can't cut a check for me people?? So sometimes I just have to sit home and stare at the ceiling because (a) I have no commuting money (b) I can't meet friends for lunch or dinner (c) I can't even make outgoing phone calls because my phone service is yet again having outgoing service cut off. (Sorry for repeating myself, again.) There are days that I vent, days that I cry out of frustration, days that I hope the weather will be good enough so I just take a walk in the park.

Friends and maybe one or two family members will ask "why do you stay, you are averaging about $300 a month sometimes." It gets tired trying to explain to them, "you know what -- even though it takes them three months to pay me...well, people, it's a freaking income that I did NOT have last year!"   Am I too old, am I too frustrated, am I over qualified, I don't know...but what I do know is that it works out in their favor to keep me on as a part-timer. And for the time being it works out in my favor to be able to have ANY form of income.

I just recently found out one of my co-workers has worked with them for seven years, and gets laid off every summer, collects unemployment, then goes back to work. I was speechless - but her response was "it's the only job offer I've been made in years and no matter how many resumes I send out -- I get no feedback, so the fact that they call me back in the fall has worked out just fine... my kids have me for the summer, my husband gets a little financial help,  and I get out of the house during the fall and winter months."

Just a few years ago, my dream job was to work two to four days a week from home working with people that I admire, that I can learn from and somehow make a tiny dent in the world somehow. Well here I am today, working two days a week from home, working with people that I find intellectually stimulating, am always learning something new from them when I meet with them, sitting in board meetings, working with programs that provide skills and literacy to kids that would normally NOT be exposed to some of these art mediums. So I should be grateful right? Be careful what you wish for -- because the income is no where near enough to cover a month's rent (thank you Pops for letting me crash here) - if I am lucky some months it will cover basic phone and commuting costs, with an excursion once or twice a month. I'm wincing if it's some one's birthday because I don't know how to handle that. So I volunteer in order to avoid walking around so frustrated that I am screaming at anyone who crosses my path -- even though I've been there a few times and back.

Rob Walker shares his "Frustrations of a Part-Timer" with the NYT.com  Workologist, thanks Rob it's good to know I AM NOT ALONE!