Does the silly season mean a slowdown or more work? Thread poster: Pnina
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Pnina
Israel
Local time: 16:05
Italian to Hebrew
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Is it a quiet or a busy season for you? Does the spare time in the summer lull mean more fun, or more rest, or more opportunities for you?
Have you managed to get new clients or to specialise in a certain field during the late summer?
I wish you a happy holiday whatever your plans are this summer.
| | | | Stephen Rifkind 
Israel
Local time: 16:05
Member (2004)
French to English
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| This year is not a regular year | Aug 3, 2009 |
Dear Pnina,
As translation lives on the crumbs of big business, this year is compeltely weird. In my case, July stunk, but there are definite signs of waking up. Normally, August is more dead than July. I have learned to "profit" from these dead times by spending more time with my daughter (camping, et al) and getting more exercise, (but not necessarily filing, which is another story indeed).
So, the "Onat hamelafonim" will soon end to replaced by the September of ... See more Dear Pnina,
As translation lives on the crumbs of big business, this year is compeltely weird. In my case, July stunk, but there are definite signs of waking up. Normally, August is more dead than July. I have learned to "profit" from these dead times by spending more time with my daughter (camping, et al) and getting more exercise, (but not necessarily filing, which is another story indeed).
So, the "Onat hamelafonim" will soon end to replaced by the September of hot winds and too much holiday food. "And the seasons, they go round and round..." ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tonia Wind
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:05
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
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| More work....more stress with children at home during the holidays! | Aug 4, 2009 |
Pnina/rifkind - I have found that this holiday season has been particularly busy for me. Besides having more work this past month than the previous 2-3 months combined, I have had all three children home for the the past month. This has meant very LONG night shifts trying to get projects turned in on time! Although the holiday month is supposed to be a rest for them, I have found it to be more work than ever for me!
T... See more Pnina/rifkind - I have found that this holiday season has been particularly busy for me. Besides having more work this past month than the previous 2-3 months combined, I have had all three children home for the the past month. This has meant very LONG night shifts trying to get projects turned in on time! Although the holiday month is supposed to be a rest for them, I have found it to be more work than ever for me!
Thank goodness they started back at school yesterday here in Brazil! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Some slowdown | Aug 4, 2009 |
But nothing really terrifying, luckily. I am also a sworn translator, so where the agencies fail, the local population fills up. There's always been less work during the summer, but my local colleagues' holiday-making patterns usually allowed keeping the workload steady. Not this year, however - by a pure coincidence, nothing crisis-related.
The outcome is about 75% of the normal workload, which is a blessing allowing me to ... See more But nothing really terrifying, luckily. I am also a sworn translator, so where the agencies fail, the local population fills up. There's always been less work during the summer, but my local colleagues' holiday-making patterns usually allowed keeping the workload steady. Not this year, however - by a pure coincidence, nothing crisis-related.
The outcome is about 75% of the normal workload, which is a blessing allowing me to do the long-neglected things about my home at last. When I feel tired with those, I do a bit of marketing, just as an extra precaution in case I misinterpret the crisis finally creeping into my regions for the standard holiday season.
All in all, a very satisfying period. ▲ Collapse
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| A welcome slowdown | Aug 5, 2009 |
After working overtime for quite a few months, I'm finding the slowdown, which started the Friday before last to be a welcome break. I've had just one small assignment since then and have been using part of the time to work on some voluntary translations.
I attribute the slowdown to folks being away on vacation, so business will probably pick up as soon as people get back to, and into, work. Meanwhile, I'm trying to relax a little to prepare for the coming tidal wave.
| | | | | Yes, it's been welcome | Aug 6, 2009 |
Normally summer is no different than other times, but this year the second half of June and early July were dismal work-wise. However, the translation projects came back with a vengeance these past two weeks. I find myself missing all the creative cooking, crafts, reading 4-6 books in a week, going to the beach with my kids, etc. that I did during my off time (I also did some marketing, of course). It was nice to have some downtime and tank up on energy. When school starts again in late August, ... See more Normally summer is no different than other times, but this year the second half of June and early July were dismal work-wise. However, the translation projects came back with a vengeance these past two weeks. I find myself missing all the creative cooking, crafts, reading 4-6 books in a week, going to the beach with my kids, etc. that I did during my off time (I also did some marketing, of course). It was nice to have some downtime and tank up on energy. When school starts again in late August, all bets are off again re: free time! ▲ Collapse
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