The Patio Project

See how our backyard was transformed in just ten days.

(Slide Show Here)

#94 with a bullet

I gave up on the goal of being the top salesperson in my company more than two years ago, but the desire to excel at whatever I do has always been strong in me. I don’t feel the need to be the best, but I do feel the need to do my best, which often results in coming out on top because others don’t put in as much effort.

Over the past six months, I have really worked at doing my best as a service provider on Elance. Members there are rated according to their ability to market and deliver services, and to maintain client relationships.

I still think I can do better, but today I learned that my efforts have led to my ranking in the top 100 out of 23,081 service providers in my category—writing and translation. I am currently listed at #94, up from #106 a week ago.

That’s quite an accomplishment, given that I am in competition not only with other writers and editors, but also with companies employing numerous staff to provide similar services. The only downside is that I know how much work I am doing, and I know what I am earning for it. It’s not an easy way to make a living, even if you are ranked among the best.

Anyway, it’s good news—and the perfect excuse to raise my rates!

See more progress on: be the top sales person in my company in 2006

MagicJack!

When we moved recently, we cancelled our land-line service which was costing us about $45 a month. I heard some friends at the Sierra Club discussing a VOIP product called MagicJack, which has been sold on TV and is now available through CVS Pharmacy.

Well, I got one, and I could not be happier with it. It cost about $40, including a full year of unlimited local and long-distance calling in the U.S. To connect it, I needed to get a USB hub for my peripherals, because MagicJack has to plug directly into the computer. That cost $15. Then I decided to go ahead and get a new hand’s free telephone, too. Add another $25, so the total outlay was $80 … less than two month’s of phone fees.

I hooked everything up yesterday, and it worked like a charm. There’s an easy-to-remember local number assigned to it, with caller ID, call waiting and voicemail features. The unit was easy to set up; no programming required. I routed my fax machine through it as well, and the dial tone came up just as soon as I plugged it in. No problem.

Because I also want to be able to make international calls, I purchased 200 minutes of call time for just $5 using a prepaid feature that MagicJack offers via the Internet. Last night, I phoned my daughter, who lives in Tokyo. We talked for half an hour, and neither of us noticed any difference in the connection. Excellent quality, no drop out, and just a little echo, which is not uncommon on overseas calls.

To think we were spending over $500 a year for phone service, paying monthly charges, when this is available for just $20 a year (that’s the annual service renewal fee). This is one of the best investments I have made in a while.

Thank you MagicJack! It is great to buy something and have it work exactly the way it’s supposed to the very first time you use it.

See more progress on: get VoIP (Voice over IP)