My Intro (Read: What I can do for you)

[dking]

--- First post note ---
ATN Mods: If anything about this intr is bad o otherwise against the rules let me know as it was not my intention.

--- Intro ---
I read the book because I am professionally an automation guy and I thought it would be simpler for me because I know the space so well; I work with computer based automation as both a computer programmer and as a test test engineer making sure things don't go horribly wrong.. and if they do its detected before gobs of cash are lost. I even have automated a large chunk of my finances this way.

But I'm still "working". I really want out of my 7 and a half to 8 hours of daily commuting on the bus (3.5-4 hours one way depending on traffic) to get to and from working full time. I hate it, and I really really am motivated to get out of it. That is why I am here. I want freedom.

I tried looking into VA companies, but al the ones I contacted where either really advertising services for high priced companies asking much more then the books talks about, booked full and unable to help me, or where not as flexible as I think they may need to be when I asked. I really want to leverage OPT for some jobs I have in mind, but I cant seem to get signed up for any of the services I have contacted due to backlog or other issues.

I'm not really sure where to put this energy and all my ideas, but I figured that logically this would be a good place to start. I'm just wondering what to do next.

I also know that when you just start out, its much easier and better to work with others who have been there, so you learn and they get the benefit of your own expertise. You both get something out of the deal. So I would like to offer my some of my technical expertise to the people that can use it, and are willing to give me a piece of the action that uses it. I'm not asking for the world, that will get on my own. Just be fair with me.

I don't want to be peoples VA. But I am perfectly willing to help you find the systems they will use, and will know if your VA is ripping you off in the technical space. All I want is the knowledge I learn, and a fair part in any of the action I help with.

Is anybody working on something they would need my expertise in? Or at least refer me to a service I can use to get starting that is not booked full?

[eknapp]

Hello,

I too am new to this forum, and just read your post. I would agree with you that commuting is a drag, but I would advise you to do one thing: Don't quit your day job. Judging by your post, I certainly wouldn't hire you to work on any project online ever. You can't even use the spell checker that is attached to this forum.

If you learn any lessons from Timothy Ferriss, it is this: The devil is in the details. If you don't polish your work, don't expect anyone to buy it. There is nothing original about anything Mr. Ferriss has written. It is the fact that he assembles it correctly in an easy to digest format, free of errors.

Sincerely,

Eknapp

[clanshrapnel]

Wow 7.5-8 hrs commute? You totally have my sympathy.

I've never heard of such a thing.

I've heard of philly to NYC, but even that is only 2.5 hrs each way. 8 HRS for commuting almost sounds like a joke, esp. if you're saying you do programming work (perhaps the test engineering part can't be done remotely).


Best of luck in replacing your work (I really hope it works out for you). Perhaps you can find some remote work to replace your current day job, then with the extra cash (or less time travelling, whichever you prefer), you can develop a business that you can automate yourself.

[dking]

Hello,
I too am new to this forum, and just read your post. I would agree with you that commuting is a drag, but I would advise you to do one thing: Don't quit your day job. Judging by your post, I certainly wouldn't hire you to work on any project online ever. You can't even use the spell checker that is attached to this forum.


Where is this spell checker located? I did not see one. Either way, You are right; I should have been more careful given the importance of this effort. I thought I was doing the best I could at the time given that I could not see the mistakes created by my laptops mouse touch screen being over sensitive and truncating words, etc as I typed.. But thats just an excuse, and I learned my - however ironic - lesson. Thank you for its teaching.

If you learn any lessons from Timothy Ferriss, it is this: The devil is in the details. If you don't polish your work, don't expect anyone to buy it. There is nothing original about anything Mr. Ferriss has written. It is the fact that he assembles it correctly in an easy to digest format, free of errors.

Sincerely,

Eknapp

If I could re-edit my post I would but the forum does not allow it, and unlike Tim I do not have a group of editors to help me catch and fix my mistakes. That is the point; I have not built my team yet and I am seeking to leverage OPT here. If the post was a software project, the iterative approach would be a viable alternative. I could just use SCRUM or something agile-buzzword compliant, keep checking in bug-fixes until and past RTM like most software companies do after the product works but does not handle every test case perfectly yet. I'm sure even Tim's books have errata based on my own experiences, with no offense intended of course as I think Tim of all people understands that perfection is something to strive for not something you get out of nothing. I'm simply just starting out.. as I stated.

You have helped me so I will now help you; You come off as more snippy than I would suspect - once again I'm making foolish assumptions - you intended. I'm not going to take it personally because I see us as all friends here trying to do the same thing, but remember that its best not to judge a book by its cover. Such leaps of mental indiscretion and overt judgment may only tell others that you are quick to make uneducated assumptions and care little about the details yourself. ;)

Now once again feeling much more rested than before, I reiterate my conundrum and my request: I commute so much that my mind is not at peace when I do get the rare chance to word toward the goals that I seek desperately to fulfill in life. I have a technically savvy and quick mind - given the sufficient rest and relaxation, as show above - but my life at it is now gives this rarely and I seek the fulfillment spoken of in Tims Book 4hww. I am willing to do anything it takes, and I just want to know how best to get started since I cant seem to find VA's that work for the low rates spoken of in the book.

For the interested:
My commute is long due to the way the bus system in the area works. For example, one of them only hits my connection once an hour and I usually hit that connection 2-5 minutes after my next bus leaves due to traffic or the bus driver just not being on time. I consider it part of the commute, even if I am just standing out in the rain waiting, because I am not home or able to think freely. I also walk part of the way, but at least I get some exercise.

Thank you all for your time, and I appreciate any response any of you feel fit to give me.
- D

[badhank]

Ok, so i kinda ignored your first post as i figured you were making things up, but i guess i will pipe in anyways. Im kinda hung up on your commute, thats the worst thing i have ever heard, and this weekend i heard about a dude that slipped in an elevator lobby that was covered in pee and split the back of his head open and was taken away in an ambulance. Still, he has it better than you all things considered. Lets get down to the issues here, b4 u can do anything else with you life you need to do one of the following:
a) move closer to where you currently work
b) get a job closer to where you currently live
Otherwise you will need to learn to make the bus your office and what is not an acceptable solution. Once you conquer you nightmare of a commute we can talk about getting things in gear.

[webgal]

That commute is pure %#ll. I can't stand a commute over 20 minutes much less that many hours.

[dking]

Ok, so i kinda ignored your first post as i figured you were making things up, but i guess i will pipe in anyways. Im kinda hung up on your commute, thats the worst thing i have ever heard, and this weekend i heard about a dude that slipped in an elevator lobby that was covered in pee and split the back of his head open and was taken away in an ambulance. Still, he has it better than you all things considered. Lets get down to the issues here, b4 u can do anything else with you life you need to do one of the following:
a) move closer to where you currently work
b) get a job closer to where you currently live
Otherwise you will need to learn to make the bus your office and what is not an acceptable solution. Once you conquer you nightmare of a commute we can talk about getting things in gear.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and sell it on the corner.

I have actually taken the first step to building that office; I’m typing this on a cellular modem connected to my laptop; Now I can be mobile *and* productive accessing the internet anywhere with cell phone coverage.

I also invested in some over-the-ear headphones that fold up into themselves for my brown-brick Zune; it keeps the noises out and lets me think. Music is so much better than the sounds of the road and a bus screaming down I-5. Even better, the Bus People – if you live in any major city you know what I mean - ignore me completely.

I started an LLC yesterday. For “Research and Development, Product Development, Other”. The monthly bill for the cell phone based internet connection will soon be the companies. Since an LLC is a pass-through entity, it should at least provide some risk mitigation on the money I’m spending with this “Profit Motivation” of mine.

Got any more ideas?

[clanshrapnel]

why can't you do remote work or find remote work to replace your job?
When you say you'll do anything it takes, I think this really is the first step you have to take. While I think it's easy to make financial sacrifices to try to solve problems (like buying a cellular internet connection), there are also real work/boring-as-hell sacrifices like searching for work that are closer to you.


that commute is really ridiculous, as everyone pointed out, and getting rid of that time-killer would be a huge first step in freeing up your time to work towards productivity.

[dking]

why can't you do remote work or find remote work to replace your job?

Nothing "remote" pays as well as required in order to take care of my family’s needs, I will not abandon them. Additionally, I live south of the Seattle proper enough to be in an area much cheaper to live in, so what I lose from the distance I gain back in extra income kept and available for investing in muses, a house I can actually afford to live in, etc. It has been said that nobody gets rich without paying the price; I’m starting to feel like this commute is my price, at least for now.

When you say you'll do anything it takes, I think this really is the first step you have to take. While I think it's easy to make financial sacrifices to try to solve problems (like buying a cellular internet connection), there are also real work/boring-as-hell sacrifices like searching for work that are closer to you.


I am looking; or rather I have professional recruiters looking. I would rather the people who do it for a living find me the job; They get a commission if they do, so they are motivated enough that it is a waste of my time to duplicate there professional efforts.


that commute is really ridiculous, as everyone pointed out, and getting rid of that time-killer would be a huge first step in freeing up your time to work towards productivity.

I think you are missing the point of Tim's book, but feel free to correct me if I am wrong:
* I am now more mobile, flexible, and happy than I was a week ago.
* I am enjoying my life much more now that I no longer have the buses rattling and screeching in my ears.
* I am much more productive now that I can access the internet to do research in the morning when my mind is fresh.

Granted it is not perfect - I'm not on the beach - but really how does it matter where I am when I direct my will at a muse?

[badhank]

Please stop defending the commute, theres NO reason to travel the same amt as you work. This effectively 1/2's your pay according to time consumed. Mobile lifestyle does NOT mean sitting on a bus for 2+ hours a day (which would b a godsend compared to what u do now) to get to work, its choosing where you want to do what you want.

Right now you are trapped in a bad situation, and as much as you make ur ride more pleasant, you are still trying to polish a turd.

So you mentioned you wont abandon your family, maybe you can get a cheap apartment (maybe a roommate) closer to where you work and spend your former 7 hour commute taking up freelance work to send $ back home or set up muses. You know historically in hard economic times men would often leave to do labor in another city or country and send $ home.
Are you the main provider for your the family? Can your room be rented out to students when you are not there? You should explore the possibilities to improve this situation.

[webgal]

I have a feeling your employer would be pretty motivated to arrange a few days you can work from home. I don't know if I missed something or not in the posts.

A friend of mine recently got a job in Maryland (she lives in Virginia). She works three days a week up there and works the other two in a home office. The travel is tough for her because she has MS but she's a firebrand and if there is an obstacle, she'll find a way.

[dking]

Please stop defending the commute, theres NO reason to travel the same amt as you work. This effectively 1/2's your pay according to time consumed. Mobile lifestyle does NOT mean sitting on a bus for 2+ hours a day (which would b a godsend compared to what u do now) to get to work, its choosing where you want to do what you want.


Yeah, I know. But I figure trying to be positive about it all will help me endure it.

Right now you are trapped in a bad situation, and as much as you make ur ride more pleasant, you are still trying to polish a turd.


That is just it. I am trapped, and while I have been looking for a way out I have not found anything. You think I like this? I do not, and the sad fact is if I had the ability to drive and a car to drive my commute would only be about 30 minutes to 45 minutes long.


So you mentioned you wont abandon your family, maybe you can get a cheap apartment (maybe a roommate) closer to where you work and spend your former 7 hour commute taking up freelance work to send $ back home or set up muses. You know historically in hard economic times men would often leave to do labor in another city or country and send $ home.
Are you the main provider for your the family? Can your room be rented out to students when you are not there? You should explore the possibilities to improve this situation.

The situation is this:
* I am the sole provider for a mentally disabled brother, an elderly mother with medical problems(the bills are huge) and the inability to work, my current gf (going to collage with my support), and a cat (he eats the most).
* I am not able to drive to work because I am legally blind (partially sighted), and they do not let the blind of any type drive. This is the one and only limitation I have, and it greatly limits what I am physically able to do despite my desire to better myself and my family.
* Pre-existing conditions do not qualify for insurance or medical benefits; I have been blind since before the age of 4.

I have looked into the options you described, and each of them is not available at this time. The options I do have is finding a way to outsource the tasks I need done to make money to people with sight; hence my interest in VA’s and computer automation.

[badhank]

Well thanks for sharing, im sure it was difficult, i mean, i hate telling ppl about myself.

Now i'm getting the sense that you are ok with ur commute and have accepted it as life and have no desire to change it, you would rather change things around it. Is this true

[webgal]

* I am not able to drive to work because I am legally blind (partially sighted), and they do not let the blind of any type drive. This is the one and only limitation I have, and it greatly limits what I am physically able to do despite my desire to better myself and my family..

This is why your employer will be willing to work with you. And not because they are sentimental sweethearts but rather you occupy a nice spot in their employment quota. And for this reason they'd like to keep you. You are officially disabled if you have been declared legally blind. I think they'd work with you because of kickbacks they get from the state or the feds. My state does. And what I'm getting at is that maybe they'd allow you to work at home two days a week.

One other option might be "share a ride". You'd chip in for gas which would be your share. In my neighborhood, people park at Lowe's and commute together. There also notices posted at libraries for ride sharing.

dk- I owe you an email. I've not forgotten.

[dking]

Well thanks for sharing, im sure it was difficult, i mean, i hate telling ppl about myself.

So do I; I only did it because I knew I would have to in order to get people to stop talking about the commute.


Now i'm getting the sense that you are ok with ur commute and have accepted it as life and have no desire to change it, you would rather change things around it. Is this true
1. I'm not OK with my commute.
2. I have a desire to change it.
3. I do not see a way to change it until I have a successfully muse started that can replace the money I currently get by enduring it; I have a circler dependency on that score due to my "provider" status in my family.

My idea now is to use my hellish commute/short lunches to start muses by leveraging VA's. Hence why I am asking; I need to have people accountable - or at least motivated by money - I can have do the things that have to be done by the sighted, or just by other people who have the time I do not.

I have several muses/ideas, just no way to express them as yet.

[Waggles]

God, I thought my commute was bad (2 hours each way a day), but this makes me feel lucky. I get up at 5.30 every day, to start work at 8.30 (but I arrive just after 8 - it's the train schedule I'm stuck with), and I can't get around that at all. Evening commute involves standing on an overcrowded train for the first 40 minutes, then getting a seat if I'm lucky for the later section of the journey. Train delays can lose me money because I'm paid hourly. My first week in the job, I lost 4 hours that way. That's the only part of the job I hate - the bloody commute.

But wow, travelling 7-8 hours a day...that's a full-time job on its own!

[dking]

But wow, travelling 7-8 hours a day...that's a full-time job on its own!

I'm hoping that my efforts will pay off. Once I have the LLC paperwork back, I will start hiring the VA's on my list - thank you, you know who you are - for tasks.

[wapminnin]

Do keep us up to date Dking and check your private message.

[dking]

I got the first of the stack of paperwork for the LLC yesterday; Today I'm looking into banking for it to keep it legit. One bank I'm looking at claims to have an extensive automation service available; We shall see.

[dking]

This is why your employer will be willing to work with you. And not because they are sentimental sweethearts but rather you occupy a nice spot in their employment quota. And for this reason they'd like to keep you. You are officially disabled if you have been declared legally blind. I think they'd work with you because of kickbacks they get from the state or the feds. My state does.


???

Do you have more info on this? This is new to me.

[clivedurdle]

Where are you in the US?

Get in touch with

http://www.ilusa.com/

They started by sorting out students in iron lungs, they are bound to know someone who..

[clivedurdle]

And we may have just tripped upon a niche market - disabled people doing this va stuff and using these ideas...:)

[clivedurdle]

Would nutters crips and dummies work as an organisation name?

[dking]

And we may have just tripped upon a niche market - disabled people doing this va stuff and using these ideas...:)

Forget it. We often don't have money to feed ourselves, much less use VA's - I'm the exception due to my Tech Background and the fact that I started off sighted. The ROI would be negative, thats why it has not been done... I actually checked.

[dking]

Would nutters crips and dummies work as an organisation name?

Only if you wanted to get sued for defamation of character, discrimination based on disability, and harassment. ;)

I know you are only joking - or at least I hope you are - but you should be aware that the disabled as a class actually have more anti-discrimination protections and rights than any single minority under American federal law, and are usually not against using it just because somebody pissed them off.

It makes the rest of us - like myself - who are simply trying to "pass as normal" look bad, but the disabled use the legal system a lot simply because it is usually there only option, and its usually in there favor because a jury will gladly side with a disabled person then anything else out of sheer pity. I used to know a lawyer who liked to work with the disabled completely because of this; He said it made him look good to win so many cases and that improved his chances at going up the corperate ladder.

All jokes aside, many of the "get to work" programs available to the blind also have income restrictions; If you have too much income you do not qualify to get the extra help that would allow you to be able to go to and keep the job without a commute like mine.

[FreshwaterFish]

Hello,

I too am new to this forum, and just read your post. I would agree with you that commuting is a drag, but I would advise you to do one thing: Don't quit your day job. Judging by your post, I certainly wouldn't hire you to work on any project online ever. You can't even use the spell checker that is attached to this forum.

If you learn any lessons from Timothy Ferriss, it is this: The devil is in the details. If you don't polish your work, don't expect anyone to buy it. There is nothing original about anything Mr. Ferriss has written. It is the fact that he assembles it correctly in an easy to digest format, free of errors.

Sincerely,

Eknapp

Ding ding ding! We have a winner. You are absolutely right. That's why I am tempted to return the book after buying it today. The material is nothing new. It is merely updated for the "Digital Generation" having to deal with the applicant pool no longer contained to one's city, state, or country.

[Caesar_X]

Ding ding ding! We have a winner. You are absolutely right. That's why I am tempted to return the book after buying it today. The material is nothing new. It is merely updated for the "Digital Generation" having to deal with the applicant pool no longer contained to one's city, state, or country.
Nothing's stopping you from returning the book. So go away and let us stupid people concentrate on what we're doing. You are adding nothing useful to the conversation.

[webgal]

???

Do you have more info on this? This is new to me.

I didn't see this, sorry. What I mean by my previous post on an employer being motivated to negotiate something with you means this. They have you listed as disabled/handicapped in HR. As a result, they fulfill a quota and if I'm not mistaken they get tax breaks and it makes them look good. I'll ask my husband about it more specifically. There is one for minorities as well. They like workplaces to have diversity and for that to be reflected in their payroll/employee list.

So what I'm saying is that you're on a list given your status of being legally blind. You may not be aware of it but HR sure is because they benefit from this even if you are a statistic in a percentage of diversity. Which means they have incentive to keep you. Given what you deal with every single freaking day don't even think to hesitate to look into this or decide you are above this. I assure you they're not. You don't have to say it to them, but the knowledge of how it works in your state would be beneficial.

Is there a state agency you can call? Because I think they'd have the scoop on it.

"Global workforce diversity initiatives" is one phrase. "U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy" is another. I'm so tired I can't think of the others that are incentive programs through the gov for HR managers.

[dking]

I asked my boss about it and he said he would "look into it". I'm asking him about it every time I see him, and I asked about telecommuting... he says that would not let him "build his team"; I'm a contractor so that comment makes no sense. I plan to talk to him about it again today.

[TimW]

You might tell your supervisor that the time spent commuting could be put to better use on the project(s) you are working on if you could work from home. Additionally, not only could additional time be spent (not saying you WILL, but COULD) working on them, you aren't exhausted from the absurdly long commute.

Using Ferriss' "trial period" method, tell him you'd like to try it 1 or 2 times per week, for 3 weeks. If it doesn't work out, etc.

As for the "team building", ask him to elaborate...without understanding his comment (by your own admission), there's no way to address his concerns.

Basically, you need to show what's in it for him...any benefit to you is secondary to his concerns.


TimW
Phoenix

[dking]

Yes, that is what I was thinking; I'm trying to use the Direct Marketing idea of "Give him what he wants by speaking to his needs and how this can benefit him, while getting me what I want"; The issue here seems to be that its not up to him.

He has his managers breathing down his neck, and I'm finding out now that our project was behind schedule even before I accepted this contract. It also seems due to the companies policies on corporate computer security for contractors he needs his bosses, bosses, bosses, bosses permission to start the paperwork required to get me the special badge required for Remote Access Service to the corporate network... and he is scared to ask his uber-boss despite my comments about HR requirements, etc.

I have told both my recruiting company and the company I am working on site with what I want, and really made a case for better productivity to both; The recruiter company is on board and loves the idea (since they may get to bill more hours) but the company I haul myself to every day has red tape issues I'm not sure how to get past.

[webgal]

That is difficult. And given the commute, there is precious little time to address it. Have you put it in writing? The one time I made a proposal, I wrote it like I was writing to a target audience. And it worked. It worked better than I ever thought. I was going for a raise and ended up with a 25% raise. It was so good I almost fainted. And I went in thinking I would be lucky to get a dollar but with the attitude that it was worth a shot and I was worth it. I presented my argument but phrased it in such a way that it:

>Showed how they had made me do this proposal because I was influenced by their business saavy.

>Made sure to acknowledge their contribution to my growth as a member of the creative department.

>Put it in dollars and cents the number of billable hours I was creating to justify the raise.

So you have to put in there what a valuable project this is and how important it is to you to get it done and get it done right. Then present how they might move forward faster and more efficiently. Present a plan where you go in x number of days and you're home and available at such and such times but you will be working x number of hours to make this goal. See if you can crunch numbers that shows how this might be more efficient to them. Make it look like the only damn way this will get done before the end of time would be to go with your plan which would include hours at home.

But if you have it in writing or even an online powerpoint presentation, you have a better chance. Even better, use something to get their attention. I attached a proposal to a bowling pin and had it hand delivered one time (It made sense in this case.) THAT got attention. So brainstorm on that commute and spend some of that time freeing yourself up.

Can you tell this is making the rest of us nuts? We want you to be able to succeed so badly. After a commute and a day at work like you have, it's hard to imagine having the energy to do this. But you can.

[dking]

Yes, I'm starting to negotiate harder, on multiple tables. Today I left an hour early, citing the fact that I'm tired from my commute and do not feel productive enough for it to be worth my time to stay the extra hour only to not get anything done. I just sent an email, and left the rest of the team to work on the already-really-behind-schedule-project. I'm on the bus now.

The one thing I need to worry about is making sure people understand my need to leave and take care of myself (I plan to get an extra hour of much needed sleep tonight) verses my desire to stay and work on a project that is actually very interesting; I can use that as leverage, I think.