Welcome to Elana’s blog!
February 3, 2010
I believe I’ve figured out a way that I can work from home, part-time, even while I’m still too sick from cancer treatment to return to a regular job.
The key is my computer skills, and a new possibility available on the Internet as well as a new possibility in my home town.
I started with computers as an adult. So I remember what it was like to be a beginner. Along the way, I learned graphic design and became an Adobe certified expert in Photoshop and Acrobat. I also had to learn how to deal with spyware, viruses and the other computing hassles that everyone encounters these days.
While working with these skills, I also used to have fun with my hobby of visiting auctions around town in person to see what kind of cool deals they had. Occasionally I find real bargains: I’ve bought things like a big wheeled suitcase for $2 and an eight foot high storage shelf for ten diagnosis.
Before my cancer diagnosis, I worked for seven years in a technical support call center. I trained people how to use advanced software for business and graphics. I’d also designed a few websites (I’m still learning the code) and helped individuals learn the basics of how to get their computers cleaned up and running faster.
I now live in an area with several support call centers. My original plan for my move, before I knew of the cancer, was to simply get another call center job and do some freelancing on the side. With the cancer treatment, however, I only have a few intermittent hours a day of adequate energy to focus on computer work, and it’s hard to predict what time of day these hours will come. This means that getting out of the house for a regular job schedule, or going in person to client meetings, is out of the question right now, especially because half of my good hours are taken up with bus rides until I can afford car repairs.
Here’s the really cool part I discovered. “Remote desktop” technology makes it possible to let someone else look on with my computer screen, live, while we have a phone call. This lets the other person see everything that is on my screen on their own computer as well, anywhere in the country. This lets me run Photoshop on my computer whether or not they own a copy, and they can virtually look over my shoulder and tell me what they want to learn or what they want me to design for them. At the same time we have an ordinary phone call for us to discuss what is on screen.
I discovered that what one of my past clients calls “Elana TV” really delights everyone! The client is able to say “move that over, change the color, let’s try another font” just as though I’d come in to their office. They get their design live, without having to send me a description and wait for me to get back to them. This is more efficient than what most designers provide.
And there’s the problem I found. My old computer comes from several years back and the hardware is slowly dying. It can now longer maintain an appropriate temperature when complex programs are run for a long time. Although “Elana TV” sessions are very positive, they now have to also be very short because my computer overheats and shuts down when I try to use Photoshop and share the screen online at the same time.
I’ve found that certain newer computers can handle all this functionality at once without any trouble. So my goal now is to sell enough of the remaining pins to buy the equipment I’ll need to work at home, including a warranty on the hardware.
My area is also terrific for auctions. I’ve recently discovered a local auction that runs every two weeks and always has some used computers that go for about half their normal Craigslist or Ebay prices. With the remainder of the pin sales, I plan to ration my time and energy to see if I can buy these used computers, fix them up at home whenever I have some rare time that my health lets me work for a few hours, then sell them to families and to Mom & Pop shops.
It turns out that helping little old ladies learn the basics of computing is a real joy for me. This will be something to add when my treatment is progressed enough that I can enjoy more time out of the house, and with the use of the car. For now, my immediate focus is on the screen sharing capable computer so I can provide “Elana TV” services even when I am not able to get out of the house.
With these goals, I hope to eventually become self-supporting financially through turning the pin inventory into the tools for my new business venture. If you’d like to buy a pin, make a donation, or simply pass along an encouraging word, I’d love to hear from you.