Långfredag

This day is somewhat of a red day here for a lot of people, but not like in Sweden. The schools are already on break this week, and a lot of businesses (corporate) are closed. But other then that, things are as usual.

I think we need to clean a bit today, since I have so much work to do over the weekend. I do have a project that needs to be done today, but it is just editing and small. Editing tend to take half or less the time than translation, you just need to be very detailed and have a good eye. It is for one of my oldest clients, a translation agency in Portland, OR. We have been working on the same project for 7 years now, constantly updated user manuals for something called WARN winches. Most of these are used in front of vehicles to perform various winching tasks. Very exciting. But it has been interesting to be on such a large scale project (many languages) over the year. And I know a LOT about winches by now...

That is a huge benefit of my job, I tend to pick up all kinds of odd knowledge all the time, since I work on so many different things. I have done everything from private love letters, business correspondence, and web sites, to autopsy protocol, user manuals, and computer games. And everything in between. It's quite cool, actually. I have always been very, what is the word... "vetgirig"... you know, I have an inquisitive mind. I love learning about new things! Plus, since I don't chose the translation subjects, I get forced to learn about things I normally never would have. So for every year that goes by I just add to my odd knowledge.

I always thought I wanted to be a writer. That is why I got a degree in Communications with later the goal of becoming a journalist. While in school I realized it wasn't really for me, but I still loved to write, loved language. I just happened to slink into the translation business by accident (isn't that how most careers start?) When I made $800 my first day I figured this might be worth pursuing... Plus, when you have so many health problems like I do it is really ideal to be your own boss and be able to work from home and take on as much or little you can handle.

Barely 1 year after starting out I had to incorporate to get away from all the self employment taxes. Now I am an employee of my own coproration and since we don't have income tax in Florida I save a bundle by taking out distributions on my shares on top of my salary. It really helps being married to a CPA!

If someone would have told me just 12 years ago that I would move to the US, get married to an American, have a daughter, two dogs, own a house and my own business, I would have laughed myself silly. I would never have guessed!