Freelance PAY DAY!

I found something even better than pay day every other Friday.  No, it’s not payday twice a month, it’s payday when you’re freelancing.  It’s better than Christmas because you’ve already done the work, you’ve spent the money over and over in your mind, and then bam, finally you have it.  By this point in your life it’s like winning the lottery because you almost don’t remember doing the work.

This pay day stretches back to a project I started on back before I left my TV news job.  Yeah, that’s been a lifetime ago.  It actually took weeks to finish, but the schedule, was here and there, spread out enough that you never really felt like you were working for the man.  (In this case, I was working for several but it didn’t feel like it.)

I only held t he check for about 10 minutes before I ran to the bank and deposited it into my lonely bank account.  I am after all moving this weekend, and the expenses have grown about 10 times what I was expecting.  So even though it’s finally PAY DAY…Breaking News Dudes, I’m Broke, again, but as Anita Cochran now successfully self-employed, I know that someday I won’t be, and that my friends gives me something to work towards.

 

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The Closet

I saved the worst till last and finally tackled the one thing standing in the way of a successful move to a smaller home.  My closet.  As a former News Anchor,  part of my job was to be a clothes horse, and I must have been pretty good at it, because I have a closet full of suits that I don’t plan on ever wearing again.  Ok, that’s a lie.  I’m keeping every one of my St. John suits because they always look good at a wedding or funeral, but the rest, I’m storing in case bad luck befalls me and I have to get a full-time job again.

That’s the good news, because that cut my need for hanging space in half.  Yep, I have that many clothes.  The rest of the clothes, which means all the clothes I wear now that I don’t have to look like a professional news reader, I also cut that pile in oh…..half.  I may have had 50 tank tops hanging in the closet but honestly I wear five of them.  I decided there is no reason to let clothes I hate take up closet space, so they’re off to goodwill.  Wear them in peace dear friends.

Then there are the shoes.  Same thing, I was so proud to have a closet full of shoes, even if I would rather be seen barefoot than wear some of those toebusters.  I finally decided even if that one pair of shoes looks good with that ONE outfit I have, and only wear once every three years…..it doesn’t deserve a 365 day parking space in my soon to be much smaller closet.  Bye Bye ugly, uncomfortable, worn out, or just plain hated SHOES.  They’re vacationing at Goodwill too.

I was almost done, when the last little dittie standing in the way of a clean closet was my jewelry drawer.  Yeah, I think the only thing news anchors buy more than blazers are necklaces.  I split them into two piles, one that I will bury in a storage room for when I need a necklace the size of Texas, the other the smaller pile, the ones that are actually made of real gold, have some dollar value or may actually be worn, those will be tucked into a box and be transferred to the soon to be completely edited Anita Cochran closest.  I can hardly wait to see how it looks, and better yet, how long it will take me to honestly believe, I have NOTHING to wear, even though the closet at the new house will be jammed pack. I give it two maybe three days, MAX.  I’m Anita Cochran, and that’s what I really wanted to say.

 

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Who Says I Don’t Have Talent?

I was afraid Wednesday might be a total loss, I rolled out of bed, got on the iphone and had a message from one of my tweeps to check out this link.  I’m not posting the link because I never read that blog, on purpose.   I don’t get  why someone like me would, then again I don’t get why people cut themselves with razor blades either.

This link goes to a blog that’s all about local Wichita TV news, and the guy HATES HATES HATES me, always has always will.  I should have just ignored it and went about my business, but I didn’t.  So let’s just say I started the day in a less than upbeat mood.  Just as I was starting to believe that I was the worst thing that happened in Wichita TV news history, the BFF & I decided to get busy.  We were going to paint my chest of drawers, and three night stands.  We used to pride ourselves on always paying to have stuff like that done.anit

Let me just say doing something with ones own hands really does result in a good feeling. My Mom was the kind of person who could fix anything.  She’s the one we went to when something broke and I used to always think, she has enough money to pay someone else to fix it, why doesn’t she? Now I know why, because it’s cheaper and more satisfying sometimes to do it yourself.

So we spent the afternoon knee deep in primer, and paint and sanding blocks, and darn if I didn’t feel like Picasso when we were done.  The best part is, I didn’t have to pay 12-hundred dollars for a built in in the new closet.  I saved myself 12-hundred dollars today, oh, and I painted away any doubt in my mind that I’m a decent person with at least some talent…..so Mr. I Hate Anita Cochran, I can only hope someone out there is writing about your daughter the same crap you wrote about me, because YOU my friend, deserve it.   My name is Anita Cochran, and that’s what I really wanted to say, but I have the guts to put my name on, you Mr. Anonymous, do not.

 

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Cheap Eats

I know you’re getting used to seeing me ask, “2.99 Are they OUT of their minds?” but the only deal better than the one I’m hawking in the Spangle’s commercial, is a FREE deal.  Yep, I almost forgot about free Wednesday at Arby’s but one of the blogs I followed reminded me of it, and I passed it along to my facebook and twitter friends.  Wednesday was Beef and Cheddar day.  You buy a drink they give you a beef and cheddar sandwich, free.

I am all about free food these days, in fact I ate free fish tacos at Long John Silvers a few weeks ago, because hey, it was free, and I don’t really even like fish.  So the fact that my favorite Arby’s sandwich was a giveaway pretty much made my day.  The BFF & I had a late lunch today, after some serious manual labor painting dressers, that’s another story.  So by the time we walked into Arby’s  we were covered in paint and probably smelling like something the cat would drag in, but they served us anyway, and what I liked, they EXPECTED us to order up the free eats.

The manager was even nice enough to take our picture for us, because even when we’re not camera ready, we’re camera ready.  Just a note to all you businesses out there giving out free food.  I don’t know what it costs you, but I know what you’re getting out of it.  Loyalty.  The easier it is to take advantage of the deal, the nicer your employees are when I show up to grovel for free grub, and of course, if  it tastes even slightly better than the cost, the more likely I am to come back.  I guess you buying us lunch for a change is a smart marketing move, I hope this little trend continues, because Breaking News Folks, I’m broke, but I’m Anita Cochran and I’m not going hungry and neither should you.  I’ll keep tabs for you on any other free deals.

 

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My First Free Day

After 20 years as a TV news anchor and four months as a self-employed whatever I am, I had my first FREE day.  A day when the kids climbed on the school bus, and I had NOTHING on my schedule.  Well, nothing until 4:30 when daughter number two gets home, then 5  when I pick up daughter number one, and then 6:00 when daughter number one needs to be at guitar.  Anyway, it was a SLOOOWWW day.

I spent my normal time at Starbucks then Melissa and I ran around checking out saloons for her impending move closer to home base.  We made a couple stops at Woodard’s Mercantile, and Lowe’s doing last minute house things, then she had  lunch plans and I decided to run  a few more errands.  I kept thinking, so this is what people talk about when they say, “I could NEVER work, I’d be bored.”

I wasn’t bored, but I was feeling something.  I felt like I was cheating, like I was going to get caught and be reprimanded.  I was getting things done, on my own time, and I almost went to the pool one last time, but I couldn’t do it.  Why?  Because someone somewhere along the way must have made me feel bad that I decided to jump off the fast lane, and live a different life.  I’m not sure who it was, and I don’t really care, but I want that person to go away, and stay away.  If I’m going to be broke, I’m going to be happy and I’m loving having nothing hanging over my head, except this “crazy guilt” that maybe I should be doing more.  The only MORE I could be doing, is making MORE money.  I’m busy enough, happy enough, and peaceful enough, I don’t understand why that “guilty” feeling won’t go away.  I guess deep down I don’t believe I deserve a better life.   I think I might need therapy because even I know, that sounds just plain CRAZY.  I’m Anita Cochran, and  as weird as it sounds, that what I really wanted to say.

 

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20 Minutes and HOLDING

I can’t believe I’m listening to the most awful elevator music possible, and have been, through the speaker of my phone….on hold now for more than 20 minutes with the City of Wichita, and still counting.   This is insane, granted, we’re all stretched thin, but at least Westar Energy had the kindness to take my number and call me back (they promised within 18 minutes)….and they did.

Actually as I’m writing this a nice lady named Tony helped me at the City, I think  the actual transfer of water service took 30 seconds, yet I held for almost 30 minutes.  Please City of Wichita do something.  I used to have a rule as a cub reporter I waited no longer than 15 minutes for someone I was going to interview, either found someone else to talk with or left.  I would have made an exception for the President of the United States but covering southwest Kansas meant there was no time to spare.  It worked great, and in return, I never expect anyone to wait for me more than 15 minutes.  Just a suggestion City of Wichita, just a suggestion.

Having gone through the whole nine yards to get my life transferred a mile down the road, just wanted to say “Go Girl” to the best customer service rep I worked with, all companies included here.   Her name was Meghan  and she worked at Cox Communications.  This chick knows her stuff.  She was smart, and nice, and actually wanted to make things better for us, so instead of switching to AT&T as we intended, we stayed with Cox.  Good for you Cox, I hope you’re paying Meghan at the west office enough, from my experience most companies let the good employees slip away, or at the very least take them for granted.

The best part of the whole moving mess was that all those moving costs and transfer fees I was expecting, are for the most part gone.  From the best deal, of free install with Cox to the highest connection charge of 20 bucks to Black Hills Energy, it’s good to know I won’t be broke just turning things off and on.  No, Breaking News Folks, I’m broke, but the move is supposed to fix that, and at least when it comes to the bills, the new life is looking leaner.  I’m Anita Cochran.

BOOOOOOOO

That rousing rendition of hatred is directed at the gremlins inside my computer who refuse to let me post my audio.  We’re working on it again, and hope to have a permanent fix, but they’re all recorded, and I’ll add them as soon as it  let’s me “write to disk” once again.  Thanks for stopping by, and for listening.  ANITA

My New Life

Okay, you’re always asking me, what are you doing now that you aren’t on TV anymore. My answer, I’m working on “My New Life.” It actually holds true in more ways than one.
My New Life, personally, includes finding a way to make money on my time, and with my talents, with people I enjoy and projects I love. Yes, tall order but so far it’s so good.
One of the first projects I started working on hooked me up with the folks at IMG with IMG Pictures here in Wichita, you can look them up, they do all sorts of video, graphic and movie work. I hosted one of the 30-minute TV projects they were working on highlighting the Kansas composite industry, and encouraging kids to look into that as a career option. Boy did I learn a lot.
Well that puppy turned out pretty darn good, so we’re taking it to the next level, with a TV series called, you may have guessed this, “My New Life.” Right now we’re working on the funding to turn this into an entertaining reality-based series that highlights Kansas people, job ready educational programs and the new lives so many of you are going after and FINDING.

We started last week with an on-line webisode that introduces you to the idea. My New Life Online, is a few of us sitting around drinking coffee and tea from Mead’s Corner talking to people who said hey, “My New Life!!” I found one, and outlining how they went about getting it. I’m the one decked out in Pink Saloon garb letting the doves fly, trust me, look up the video just to see what’s up with that, and stay tuned, I’m Anita Cochran, and I’m certainly not the only one looking for “My New Life,” and I promise I’ll be the one to tell you all about the ones we find….because these days, that’s what I really wanted to say!

 

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It Takes Money to Save Money??!!!

We’ve all heard it takes money to make money, and I often have to agree, but I had no idea it was going to take money to SAVE money. Yep, as we get ready for the big downsizing move this weekend, I’m burning through the check book and money I don’t even have. I know that living the Dave Ramsey, “Total Money Makeover” way means that isn’t possible, but I’m doing it anyway. I’m even considering paying the movers with our once banished credit card.
I can’t wait to see if, in a month or two, if this is just a temporary, moving sucks the life and money right out of you, kind of funk, or whether this is just the beginning of my life being broke. I thought I saw a light at the end of the tunnel with a future that includes no house payments, but I wonder now if that will be enough to cover the expenses I’m tacking on just for the move itself. Ooops that would really stink if I’m making all this worse, trying to get to a less expensive place. Oh well, it’s too late now, I know because I talked with the movers this afternoon, and they’ve already met with the people they’ll be moving into our current home. Yeah, small world, isn’t it. One family moving up, the other trying desperately to stay afloat. Oh well, Breaking News Folks, I’m broke, but I’m Anita Cochran and if this well-thought out plan of mine backfires, somebody take video, cause there’s gonna be a lot more collateral damage than I first accounted for….starting with every single one of my bank accounts.

 

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I’m Not Ready

It was a busy weekend of packing up my families belongings prepping for the big move to our little house in a week. I started out with grand visions of tossing almost everything away, and needing but a little tiny pickup truck to move our beds. Ok, I lie. I never expected to toss that much stuff, but I’m keeping more than I wanted.
Here’s an example. I have a huge plastic bin full of pictures, and that doesn’t count pictures that I have put into scrap books, etc….these are just sacks full of old pictures from when I was a kid, or whatever, and frankly, I didn’t even have the strength to go through them. That’s gonna take a large amount of booze and a good chunk of time to tackle, and this was not the weekend to do it.
The keepsakes from my TV days were hilarious, but I trashed them all. I had an e-mail from my old co-anchor Bob Donley, that outlined everything he’d change about the KSN newsroom. Apparently someone must have read that memo, but instead of making those changes, changed him instead. It was a good read, but it’s behind me so I tossed it.
I found a diary of when I was in high school and Dale Haukup asked me to Prom. I’m keeping that for further reading, to see what other school girl crushes I can uncover.
The toughest part of all of it though was the bags of letters and cards I got when my Mom died. I planned on tossing them all, except the one from Leon Liebl, which I will keep forever, it’s the only time he told me he loved me, and I plan to blackmail him with it later. Anyway, as I unzipped one bag of cards, out fell pictures of every bouquet sent to my family during the funeral. I couldn’t part with it, so nine years later, I’m keeping all those pictures of the flowers and every card I received. It wasn’t so much that it connected me to the people who sent them, I think it’s that it connected me to the Mom I still miss so much, and if that’s all I have left of her, than it least it’s something, and nine years later, I’m not ready to let it go, and you know I don’t know if I ever will be. I’m Anita Cochran, and that’s what I really wanted to say.

 

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