Beatles Items For Sale

This might be a bit out of the norm for me but I figure what the hell. In a previous post I talked about the website Fiverr  and how for some Freelancers it could be an additional source of income. Well, among other things, I too have tried to take advantage of the site's setup and community of "sellers" to get some income of my own generated. I also want to sell a few things that I have been holding onto for far too long.. the Beatles collection I have.

What I have might not be a normal collection per se, but it is very collectible. If any of you have taken advantage of clicking on the first link in my sidebar, you will have seen some of the "better" items that I have up for grabs. Let me give you a little more information.

Among a couple of the other Gigs (as they are called on Fiverr) I have put up on the Fiverr site, I am also selling a random original article from the 1960's about the Beatles. Click here to see the original Gig on the Fiverr website. What I did was to pull out a few of the better quality items that are surely worth more than $5. Things such as a poster, a magazine, or a Beatles comic book.

If you are interested in a newspaper clipping from the 60's or 70's feel free to order from my Gig on Fiverr. If you mention this post I will give you an extra clipping. Even the two founders of Fiverr have ordered from me. If however you are interested in something bigger and better, check out the link in the sidebar on the right and you will be treated to a gallery of photos that show the items that I have for sale.

There are no prices listed on these items because I am trying to get people to make me an offer. The reason for that is some of the items I am still in the process of researching. Another reason is that I figure it would be a fairer transaction for the buyer if the price negotiation is initiated by them.

I will be advertising this sale wherever I can because honestly this is starting to take a bit more time than I had anticipated and I am hoping to speed things up a bit. So it is first come first served and as items are sold I will take them off of the gallery post.

If you have questions or want to make an offer, shoot me an email here. I will respond to you right away (or at least within 12 hours at the most) and we can get started.

Thank you and good luck!


Tony

Bringing Hope To A Freelance Writer

In my travels I have come across a variety of websites, businesses, and some really "cooky" schemes. Occasionally there are some things that grab my attention or better yet, that interest me deeply. I have recently found one such site, or business. Even though it has been around for a while, it is new to me. The site I am referring to is FIVERR.COM

The $5 Deals Abound!

The premise behind the company and the website is ingenious. Offer up a task or job that you will do for someone else for the measly sum of $5. People will purchase the jobs or Gigs as their called on the site, because they might need or want what is being offered and for $5 you can't go wrong. There are a variety of fun and bizarre things that are offered as well as the more practical and normal things as well. For example, you can have someone rap a birthday tune for you or a loved one or on the normal side you can have someone proof read your resume.

There are a ton of ways to make money on the Internet these days, but this is surely one that will be around for a while. Founded in 2009 by Micha Kaufman and Shai Wininger the site now hosts over about 1.3 millions gigs and according to Wikipedia is ranked among the top 200 sites in the world! I know Wiki is not a recognized source when looking to research something but that is a stat that is easily verifiable. FIVERR is doing some good business and is adapting to meet demands just like any other company would.

This year they offered Levels. A sort of reputation ranking system, Levels gives the users the ability to to reap the rewards of doing business the right way and not taking advantage of your customers. You do right by them, they will do right by you. You get votes based on your gigs popularity as well as how well you deliver on your promises. Just like any other service/customer relationship you must make good on what you are selling for the $5 you are being paid or you will not earn that stellar reputation that will undoubtedly drive more business to your door. It is a simple formula but one that works well.

The Freelance Angle.

So why am I talking about this website again? This is not a review, although I have reviewed websites before and I would not be against reviewing this one. In addition, the title of this article has nothing to do with a review or anything else like that. No, the reason that I am talking about Fiverr.com is because websites like Fiverr attract  Freelancers.

If you are a Freelancer in any industry or field you know that it can be hard to find work. When you do find it, sometimes it seems to come and go in spurts. Of course that does not make it easy to plan for the future. What I have found, and I'm positive others have as well, is that spreading out my income potential makes for the best odds at making money.

What I mean by this is I give myself a wide berth. I have working and active accounts at a variety of writing sites and content provider sites. I also have accounts on various other types of sites in an effort to give myself the best chance at making money. One of those is Fiverr. As a Freelance writer it can be difficult to find steady work. As I mentioned in an article I posted a week or so ago I had a steady stream of work on this one site I worked with but then the contract they had ran out. As the contract ended, so did my steady stream of work.

I was left with nothing. But, thankfully I had various other accounts on different websites that offered work. So even though my "steady" job was gone for the time being, I still had work. It was hard at first because I had gotten used to my routine, but it is just a matter of time before I get used to my new routine. This new one includes Fiverr. Being able to offer different types of jobs to a new audience of potential clients is like a breath of fresh air.

Looking Ahead.

I never try to put too many eggs into one basket. Recently however I have run into a rough patch and my finances have taken a turn for the worse. Needless to say, during times like these we take any job we can get. There are certain writing jobs that I have had the opportunity to stay away from in the recent past. Things like phony product reviews and keyword heavy content farms. The type of work that I felt was a bit beneath me. Arrogant or not I was able to make money and avoid doing that type of work. But, as I said, when money is scarce, you take what you can get.

So now that I write anything that I can get paid for I come to find Fiverr. See, thing is, a website like Fiverr gives a person in my position one thing. That one thing is hope. I was down in the dumps because I was doing work that I didn't want to do. But when I started creating some gigs for the Fiverr community to buy I found that I had once again found that hope that I was missing. The type of hope that give you motivation and drive.  The kind that keeps you going.

So now I am still doing whatever work comes my way, and I am still scouring Elance and Guru and DonNanza looking for work writing. BUt the difference this time is that I am also selling items and writing work through Fiverr and I really have hope that it can help pull me out of the crapper. One $5 sale at a time.

Slowly Losing Our Privacy

As I struggle to get the wonderful system of Blogger Labels managed I discovered something interesting during my morning news run through. It is actually not new as it is a seven year old project, but there are certain government officials working to move forward on an electronic license plate for vehicles that would connect wirelessly to the DMV to help them (and the police) with various compliance related to vehicles, registration, and insurance. Among other things. Is it just me or is this going a bit too far? Or maybe it is not. Maybe it is just part of the natural progression of our technology.

The Wonders Of The Modern World

There is no doubt about it, we live during a wonderful time. The technology that we use everyday in our mobile devices keeps us connected to family, friends, and work anywhere we go in the world. We can turn on the lights in our living room from across the ocean or record the latest episode of our favorite shows from the same distance. We have wanted this type of convenience for decades. We dreamed about things like this becoming possible and it wasn't until this very generation that it came true.

Of course, with any type of rapid growth or change there is always going to be a few growing pains. There will always be certain people who are not happy with the way things are working out or some that are worried about things becoming too easy. But for the most part it seems that the world is generally happy with the way our society is progressing. Everybody seems to be cheering on the Google's and Intel's of the world. Just look at how readily people have taken to saving their private information on the "Cloud".

If everyone is so happy with the way technology has been changing our world and way of life, then why is it that when something that encroaches on our private lives it is such a shock to people? In my opinion there is always going to be a certain amount of privacy that you have to be prepared to protect or hide if you want to have many of the modern conveniences that we have been enjoying of late. It other words these things go hand in hand. You cannot have something that stores all your private information on a system that is accessed by everybody and expect to not have some sort of safeguards protecting each person. Yet, as logical as you would think that statement is, there are people who are caught off guard by those same safeguards and complain when they are locked out because they forgot their password.

 The Line Has Been Drawn - So Why Is It So Hard To See?

The short and simple answer is because in a way, people want the technology because it makes them feel safe. It is a case of I want it to catch those who break the law but I do not want it to bother me. But we all know that nothing in this world is simple. By this point you must be wondering what the tech is this time that is stirring up the hornet nest. Well, I'll tell you and trust me. When you find out what it is you might find yourself quickly becoming part of that group above who wants the tech for all the right reasons but when you consider how it might affect you personally your opinion might change.

Reading an article this morning on a site called  CO.EXIST by Stan Alcorn  brings all of this to light. He describes a project that Brian Bannister a former Department of Motor Vehicles computer systems architect and a former Carolina DMV administrator David Findlay have worked on to electronically link our license plates to the local DMV and state government. At first it might sound like a great idea. Just another piece of our daily lives that is getting the good old technology update. But when you review the details and consider where some of this might be heading you start to wonder if it is worth it.

We have all concerned ourselves with the potential loss of privacy because of technology at some point. As the days, weeks, years go by new technology is developed and some of that technology  slowly chips away at what privacy we have left. Cell phones track our every move. Security cameras and red light cameras can find us almost anywhere on the streets. The advances in data mining and tracking allow us to be followed by how and where we shop. It is increasingly difficult to live "off the grid" in today's world. Yet, to a certain degree we invite this so-called invasion of privacy into our lives.

Is All Of This Our Fault?

No matter how technologically ignorant someone is, or how naive someone might be when it comes to modern electronic devices, everyone should have a general idea that we are "watched" or "findable" at any one point during our day. Even though this is the case, people still bring the devices that make this possible into their lives. For example, a person wants to buy a new cell phone. This person is well aware that any information saved on the phone may potentially not be as private as hoped. They also know that the GPS chip will allow them to be found at any time if the phone is with them. Basically, they are fully aware that the phone itself can almost be considered a beacon letting everybody know where this person is. Even though all this is true (albeit a bit extreme) this person in question will still purchase the cell phone and use it everyday for various personal and private reasons.

So we accept the fact that we are not alone. We acknowledge that our privacy is not as private as it should be. Of course we do, because trying to live any other way at this point would almost be too hard. We have to accept that we are living in a world that is increasingly losing its privacy. So is this project with the electronically linked license plates just the next logical step? Our cars are already connected to the grid. We carry electronic devices in our pockets or purses almost everywhere we go that could be used to track our every move. Let's face it, there is almost nowhere to hide if we wanted to.

We want it though, don't we? With all the convenience that technology has brought into our lives, would anybody want to go back to how things were maybe ten or twenty years ago? I don't think I have heard anybody say that they miss the 1990's because they loved having to use a pay phone. Or they missed living in a time in which most computers sat on desks, and laptops were about as effective as a calculator. People love the technology that we have today. It makes their lives much easier and allows them to get ten times the amount of work done as before.

People might not want to lose what they have gotten so used to, but they should at least educate themselves on the way things work. The best way to make sure that your private information is safe is to understand how the devices and safeguards work. OK, but what if there are no safeguards? Like in the license plate project, there is just a plate. An electronic plate that sits on the back of your car transmitting data to various agencies. Unfortunately there is not much you can do except keep a very close eye on it.

 Are We Safe? What If Someone Gets Our Information?

The company that is developing the technology states that the plates will be given a number that will be tied in with the car's registered owner. The company that handles the data transmission and plate manufacturing/programming will only have this number and no way to connect the number with the actual person. The DMV however will have software that gets this number and connects the dots (behind the scenes) only giving the DMV officials the information that they need at the time. So basically they are trying to say that the tech is safe and no one can get your information.

Keeping our sensitive information safe has been an ongoing struggle for many during the technology age. For the most part, as long as people use common sense and do not do anything stupid like give out their social security number to the wrong person they are safe. No matter how careful you might be however, does not stop things that are beyond your control from causing you trouble. Things like your credit card company getting hacked, you may have nothing to do with it but you are still the potential victim of a crime. This happens all the time and what if it happens with the license plates in question?

It does not matter how closely guarded the information is or how they encrypt it either. The point is that data, no matter what it is can always be vulnerable. The things that are beyond your control cannot be helped and the best thing you can do is make sure that you know who to call and what to do should something happen. For example, if someone gets your information from the electronic plates say ten years from now, the best thing you can do for yourself is be aware.

You should always keep an eye on your credit cards and bank statements. Your cell phone records and vehicle registration. Basically the more that you are in control of your finances and personal data, the faster you will be able to respond if something goes wrong. If your information is taken from the proposed license plates project in the future, chances are they are taking it to be able to use your identity. So if you notice things happening with your credit or finances that is not your doing you can call the proper authorities right away. The faster you report things like this the faster it can be resolved.

The world that we live in is truly a wonderful place. We have more available to us today than people ever have. The more we have however the more likely we are to lose it. We should never take for granted the ability of criminals either. They can be just as advanced and knowledgeable as anybody else. Criminals are not the only concern that we have either. Day by day it seems we are losing little pieces of our privacy and sometimes it seems as if there is no end to it. If you don't want the government or anybody else getting involved in your lives then let them know. Get involved and become aware of the issues and the proposals that officials make. You might be surprised at times just how much they want to do.

Your System's Startup Process May Do More Than you Think

It does not matter if you are a tech geek or someone who uses a computer but does not know the first thing about fixing one, there is one aspect of a Windows machine that is often overlooked - the start up process. I have been working with and repairing computers for years and I cannot tell you haw many times the start up process is either the cause of an issue or affected by the issue plaguing the machine. I'll be perfectly honest, even though I am well aware of the importance of this portion of the boot process I too have been known to neglect the start up process on my own laptops and other devices. 

Starting Your Computer

There are a few things that go on during the boot process for every computer. Honestly I could probably write an entire e-book on the subject. That is not why this post is being written however. I am only meaning to focus on one portion of the procedure and that is the software that is initiated upon boot. There is often applications that are set to run as soon as the system starts. The problem with some of these is that you, the computer owner, never gave permission for these applications to run every time you turn on your computer. 

When you have applications that start as soon as you boot into Windows you have a major drain on resources. The most important of these resources is your memory. It is not uncommon for some of these applications to hog more than 25% of your system memory all to themselves. That might not seem like a lot but when you consider that the legitimate software takes up about 50% of your memory, you now have about 75% being spoken for. That does not leave much for anything else you want to do.

One of the biggest complaints that I get from people that call me is a slow computer. When this is the case the usual remedy is to run virus and malware scans. Once these scan run and eliminate the root cause of the slowdown the computer will go back to normal. Of course, that is in an ideal scenario. But what if these scan are run, they find a threat or two and eliminate them, but the system is still slow? What do we do now?

This is when people typically look in a variety of places for the cause of the slowdown but they rarely check the start up process. In all actuality it is a pretty simple thing to fix. It just takes a little bit of research, patience, and common sense. 

Should I Remove It?

One of the biggest questions that people have when they start looking through system files and processes is "Should I remove it?" People are often concerned that they might delete or disable something that their system needs and by doing so will end up doing more harm than good.  This is where you need to use a little common sense and get some research going. But if we are going to try and show you how to fix these issues we should start from  the beginning. Let me show you what to do.

Step 1 :  The start up process is what we are looking to fix right? So let's start there and see what we have running every time you turn on your computer. This is rather simple, all you need to do is go to your start menu and find the RUN command line. If it is not there right at the bottom of the menu then all you need to do is click on All Programs, then click on Accessories, then when that menu shows up look for and click on Run. Once you do this you will be given a little window with a place to type a command. In this command line you will type MSCONFIG and then hit enter.

Step 2 :  Once you do this a window will come up. It will look like figure 1a below.

Figure 1a

Once you have this menu open you can see that the tabs at the top show different options all related to the booting of your computer. What we are looking for however is the tab titled what else but "Startup".

Before going to that tab however it would probably do you some good if you have never seen this menu before to look through it. It never does any harm to look. I know that people have been known to say that if you do not know what you are doing you should not even be in the menu in the first place. I disagree. This can be a big learning experience for some people. Take a look around the various tabs and see what you have access to. It never hurts to look around and see exactly what things are made up of. 25 years ago this is how I learned about computers. I taught myself how to program  and all about various operating systems all by just, "looking around".

Step 3 :  At this point you should have clicked on the "Startup" tab and if you did it will show you something like what is pictured below in figure 2a.

Figure 2a

What we have in this menu is a list of all the programs that your computer is being told to load every time you turn on or reboot your computer. This is where the research comes in. There are various sites that you can look through that will give you information on any and all of these processes. I sometimes use a site called Uniblue. Here is a link to their process library. No matter where you find the information the important thing is that you find it. Once you get to this step the rest is sometimes trial and error. I don't mean to sound like it is a crapshoot. But to be perfectly honest, everyone's computer setup is often very different. Although there are things that are the same on all of them there are a lot of differences as well. Things are personalized and the programs that people install can sometimes be listed here. If I go ahead and start telling people to delete this and delete that I could be causing a lot of damage.

The point is, you have to take much of this on a case by case basis. See what you have on your system, do the research and try to determine if you have something causing a problem or not. My goal here was to show you where to look. Most people do not have the faintest clue about the menu I have shown you. Knowing where it is, how to bring it up, and what is listed on it is more information than most people have. You are more than halfway to a cleaner running system once you get to this point.

Where To Go From Here

I have been fixing computers for a very long time. Like I said above, there are a lot of things from computer to computer that are the same. They have to be. This is because they run the same operating system. But, and it is a big but, there are just as many things about a system that are different from one to the next. Many people take great pains in personalizing their computers. Even people who are not computer savvy. They might not have their own encrypted files or certain services turned on or off based on their needs, but even the novice will make an effort to personalize what is theirs.

You just have to remember that when you boot your computer there is a large variety of things going on. One of these is your computer being told what to load right away and what not to load. If you start having problems that were not there a couple hours ago or a day ago even, check your start up process. Chances are there is something in there that shouldn't be. 

The Fourth of July

That had to come first. Before all other ramblings. I have always been a very patriotic person. Ever since I was little I was always in awe of this huge thing called America. I never knew what it was really at that time. All I knew was that everyone talked about it and everybody loved it, so I did too. As I got older and I slowly realized what countries were and where I lived I came to find that I loved it too. 

There are people everywhere who hate America. I think in some ways their hate comes from jealousy. The envy that builds from living in an impoverished third world country that has almost nothing for it's people. Then, from afar they see this country that seems to them to offer everything. While this feeling of wonder grows it is quickly stamped out by those around them who know of a different America. These are the people who preach hate and destruction as a means to attain their end goal.  These ideas are forced on the young who were just feeling like America could be an escape. America could be the paradise everyone speaks of. But no. These others have already got their hooks in and are showing a tainted image of America. An image that they are slowly teaching the young to hate.

So as they once longed for a peaceful life in another land they are now in a place that puts that dream out of reach. So the jealousy builds as well. Jealousy of those who can attain that life they so dreamed of in America. Because of this envy everyone shall pay. Everyone shall be made to feel the pain and the hurt that they feel. All because of a few radicals who got their skewed teachings into the heads of youngsters at an impressionable time in their lives.

Well.. just a theory. Anyway.. we should not have to worry about things like that today, though it is good to be reminded from time to time. Today however is a time of celebration. When I was young and finally realizing what America was, I was introduced to the fireworks that we all love. As a kid growing up in Chicago however it was more about getting fireworks and gathering with friends. Then it was all out war! Those days were fun and exciting. You sort of lose track of the real reason for celebration during those years. It comes back though, and as I got older it really sinks in why we celebrate the way that we do on this day of the year.

"You just wait until you have kids!"

How many times have we all heard that from our parents. I cannot count all the times that my son or daughter did something that I did when I was younger, and all I heard in my head was my father. "You just wait. When you have kids, and they do this, then you will finally understand." It was always I would understand or I would  get my payback. Either way, he was right and that kills me. Having kids was the greatest achievement that I have made. Then again, they are also what makes life so hard most times.

My son, 13, has had a yearning to blow off fireworks from my "secret stash" for the last year or so. Of course it is my fault for showing him the stuff but what else is a father good for if not corruption. Problem is the worry that I feel when he goes into the backyard to launch off a few simple bottle rockets. I get nervous for him, for my neighbors, my dog (who hates fireworks and thunder), and my wife who freaks out at almost every little thing. But all that worry falls on my shoulders. All because of four bottle rockets. Sad is it not?

Some of this  does have a direct correlation with the fourth of July. I don't have to worry about my neighbors when my son goes crazy in the backyard because they all left town. More than that however, I feel a need to bring the same joy  that I feel for today to my children. Sometimes this is easier said than done. Our kids all have their own agenda as the grow older. I found this out a couple years ago when I was trying to show my daughter something and she could care less. So I ran into a wall when I thought about how to do that for this special day.

 The Holiday.

Slowly it became an exercise in patience. Everybody wanting to do something else. A friend is having a barbecue, "and they have a pool!" Or we could go to the fireworks, if you like crowds. We could have a family barbecue too. All of these options seem to come from everywhere. Over the years we have done each of them at least once. They were all fun, and they all had their good points. But did any of them support what the real celebration should be? Does it matter anymore?

See, the Fourth of July, Christmas, matter of fact any holiday that we celebrate with family is just that. A celebration with family. As my family seem to get smaller as opposed to grow, it became more and more evident to me that celebrating these days with family close by is what was important. Maybe it is because as I get older I start to realize what is truly important. Or maybe I just want to enjoy what is left of my family. Who knows. All I know is that when I am doing any of the above with the ones I love it makes any of those options possible. When I get past all the screaming, the whining, and the fighting of siblings, you can find what it is that you are looking for.

The Love of your family.

So get out and celebrate the day with your family and friends. The people that you are closest with. Enjoy the festivities. The food, the fireworks, all of it. Think about why we celebrate today and what those who came before us had to sacrifice for us to be able to even do this. But do it with your family, because above all else they are the ones you are making memories for and with.

 

Getting Used To One Client's Consistent Offering and What To Do When That Ends.

As a Freelance Writer I have come across a lot of negative situations, as I'm sure you all have. My most recent "issue" is that of my main income source seeming to dry up. Of course I may be jumping to conclusions here, but it seems clear to me that after nearly a week of no work that I shouldn't hold my breath. So, as I mentioned before and as it should be a common practice for my fellow freelancers, switching to the so-called "back-up plan" is in order.

Something All Freelance Writers (Any Freelancer Really) Should Do.

It should be common knowledge for all or at least something that you have been advised to do at some point, but having multiple income sources or streams is probably one of the most important things you can do. It is great to find that one source that trumps all others. The one income stream that brings in money on a consistent basis. Sometimes it really does not even matter if it is a big source or not, at long as the consistency is there. It is great advice and something that I have done since my early days as a Freelance Writer.

There is one thing about doing this however, and it is something that people do not normally tell you about this. It is something that I found out the hard way. While it is not an extremely harmful thing to your career it can slow you down a bit and that is the last thing you need when you have no income for the time being. The problem tends to be yourself and how you may have gotten either too use to what you were doing or too comfortable.

When we are working with a consistent source or income or in a certain manner for a while it can become habit. I know this happened for me. I had gotten so use to the way this one particular client wanted their work done and the method to which I reached that end, that when it came time to do something different I was lost for a bit.

Changing Things Up.

I don't know about most of you, but I tend to be a creature of habit. Once I get used to doing something a certain way, and I do it that way for an extended period of time, it can be hard to stop or change. Hell, change itself can be hard enough sometimes. At first I did not like the manner in which work for this particular company was done. I thought it took too long, it became tedious, and sometimes I felt like it dulled my writing senses. Thing is, when it came time to do something different I noticed that I sort of missed what I had before.

Moving to my "back-up" income sources or working for other companies or clients became difficult. I started having to proofread my work much more than usual. I had gotten a couple pieces rejected for revisions and I was just not happy at all. I really had to take a step back and re-evaluate my situation. By doing exactly that I found out what I should have been doing all along and realized that if I found myself in this position again in the future that it would be much different.

My Simple Solution.

Now I cannot promise you the same results because we are all different animals. Especially in writing. There are certain ways that we do things or certain grammar laws that govern the way we all write. But beyond that we all have our own flair and add our selves to whatever we write in various ways. However, what I did to fix my little "problem" is more of a general fix so it should bear results and if not I'm sure it can be adjusted to work for anyone. [Look at me - talking about this as if it is a software patch or something]

What I realized that it was a slow (and still is somewhat) process to get back into the groove of doing things with all of the different clients and their different methods. They all have work generally and instead of hitting them when I needed them I should have been using them all along. I should have made time for them during my work day when I was working for the income source that was consistent. Had I worked one or two of these companies/clients into my work day routine a month ago say, I would have not had such a difficult time of it now.

So that is what I will do moving forward. Whenever I get back into having a consistent source of income and working for one place, I will have to mix it up a bit. So if my work day consists of an 8 to 10 hour day (which most of the time it would) I can mix up  the work load. I would probably organize it something like this:

• 80% or my work day (6 hours 15 minutes approx. in 8 hour day) for my main client.
• roughly 5-10%  for each of the three others I use (roughly 30 minutes to an hour).
• Then maybe 30 minutes at the end to finalize things. Get work ready for tomorrow, etc..

Of course it is not an accurate model nor is it set in stone. All this represents is a breakdown of how I will do things moving forward once I get a consistent client or income source again. Hopefully it will not take long to do that either. Who knows, maybe one of the places I use for my backup will become that consistent money train. That is after all how I ended up getting consistent work with the place I am now moving away from. They were a back up to other things I was doing and as time went on they got more and more work and it slowly made sense for me to spend more time with them than anywhere else.

That is probably the biggest lesson in all of this. For any Freelance Writer the work is fluid and dynamic. IT is always changing. I got to used to working with one place and forgot how much this industry fluctuates. Even on a small, one person scale. These companies go through changes, as does the work they need and the people providing it. You have to be ready to change your methods almost at a moments notice. The people who are capable of making those changes and adapting to the ever changing landscape the quickest are the ones that will be left standing.