I Gotta Laugh

I haven't posted here much lately because I've been busy working. I'm actually doing some writing...yeah, who knew? Turns out? I can actually write. :-P I'm writing articles and getting paid by the article. So far, I'm liking it.

I'm also trying to finish up this major, major project that I've been working on since the first week of March. I received an advance for it and about 2 1/2 weeks ago, my briend said she thought it was time to bill. Enough time and work had passed and been done that she thought it was time--when I'm finished, we'll bill for the rest. "Please send me an invoice" she asked. Within ten minutes I had an invoice created from the Excel spreadsheet I use to keep track of hours worked and some notes for myself, and I emailed it over.

Two weeks passed. I know this client is not broke and also likes to pay his bills on time, so I was a little concerned when I heard nothing and no check came in the mail. I'm trying *trying* so hard to be less money-focused or materialistic, but hey, bills still gotta be paid, knowhatImsayin'? And also we needed money for my husband to go on an important trip. So I sent over an email last Thursday.

"Hey, uh, has John (not his name) paid his invoice, yet?

The response:

"Oh, I was just going to nudge you about that. I still need an invoice from you."

_crickets_

WTF? Right?

So instead of blowing my top or losing it, I just wrote back, "I emailed it to you two weeks ago; did you not get it?"

Response:

"Oh Crap!! I am so sorry!!!"

And then this:

"You can borrow my credit card if you need to!"

This time? I said yes. So I got some money PayPal'd over to me via her credit card and it will be deducted from my billed invoice when the client pays.

And we had a good talk after and she genuinely felt bad. Which is what I've been saying all along--not a bad person, just a bad businesswoman.

So I resent my invoice, added the additional hours I've worked on the project, and sent it over last Thursday. Hopefully the client was billed before my briend went out of town for the week. Even though they have a bookkeeper, my briend signs all the checks, so she won't be able to sign anything made out to me until next week. So more waiting. This time, the check is in four figures. I've done a lot of work. I've stretched, I've stepped over the edge and not fallen, I've grown, I've learned. Those are powerful things. And I get paid for it. Life is good.