Holding Out For Something Better

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Hey Indiepreneurs,

Here’s what I’ve been debating about this week: is it okay to hold out for something better?

I decided to do that this week, and I feel a little guilty about it.

In addition to writing these amazing posts (which you should definitely share with your friends), I do actual tax work from time to time. I’m starting up my own practice with a few partners (LDGR), but that’s slow going during the non-tax season.

So, in the meantime, I’ve been looking at taking some odd jobs from other tax accounting firms that are overworked and understaffed, and I got an offer…with pay equivalent to someone with about 8 years less experience than I have.

After much hemming and hawing, I decided to turn it down. I didn’t want to accept the job then not be able to accept something more in line with my experience later. But at the same time, I’m turning down money now for only the potential of more money in the future.

That’s a tough choice. At this time in the tax season, there may be nothing else coming my way.

Fortunately, I’m in a position where I can turn it down at the moment. But where will desperation take me in the future?

I guess we’ll see.

I think I made the right choice. I shouldn’t just jump at the first offer that doesn’t even meet the most basic requirement of pay.

Right?

Stay tuned how it works out for me.

Have you had a similar situation? How has it worked out for you?

The Links

• Let’s talk about Health Insurance and Taxes…at least for the self employed.
• Guest post on The Indiepreneur: Becoming Your Own Boss
• Unionization was intended to address serious worker concerns. Is the rise of freelance work the modern day equivalent?
• I took an “assessment” for a potential freelance position…and it was an IQ test! Sorry, but no, that is not a work assessment.

Service Dog Update

As I explained some time ago, Wilson is our dog’s mild manner alter ego. The trainer told us that we need to have have a name that we use in the family, which is his training name. It’s the name he needs to respond to when called.

Then he has another name, which is the name we give out in public to not seem rude when people ask his name, but also to not give a random stranger control over our dog.

At first, I felt a little guilty having the two names, like having two sets of accounting books to hide income from the IRS. I have that guilt no longer.

While I was waiting in line at the pharmacy this week, a couple of older women noticed Wilson and got really excited. They started asking questions about training a service dog and his breed and stuff, all fairly standard. It was a ridiculously long wait to get the medicine, so it was nice talking to them.

Then one asked his name.

“Wilson,” I told her, figuring that would be the end of it.

Then one of the women had the gall to try to call him. Not just once, but over and over and over again!

I honestly couldn’t believe it. We had just been talking about all the things it took to train a service dog, but then she suddenly turned into one of those fictional demons who tries to use a person’s true name to gain control over them.

The public name worked like a charm, though. Wilson didn’t so much as turn in her direction.

“I guess he must really be annoyed,” she said when he didn’t respond.

Or, I don’t know, maybe he’s DOING HIS FRIGGIN’ JOB?

Anyway, let this be a PSA that if someone is walking around with a service dog, don’t try to distract it. That’d be like someone coming in and screaming at you while you’re in the middle of taking an important test.

Note on the featured image: we rescued a cat several years ago who we tried to train to be an indoor cat. She responded by developing constipation due to the anxiety of not being let outdoors. About $1,000 in vet bills later, we let her go outside. About a year later she decided that there really wasn’t a reason to come back inside.

She still swings by every once or twice a year to say “high.” The picture is of our annual visit.