Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
It’s a shame he hasn’t been in any good movies lately. I remember watching one of his made-for-TV features a couple of years ago, and it was bad. Not bad as in funny and still watchable, but bad as in I couldn’t finish it. The poor guy can’t seem to catch a break.
I guess I can relate. He was right when he said Hollywood is hard. I’m trying to find more clients, but so far, I haven’t had much luck. Clementine was supposed to be our golden ticket out here. She has gotten a few people for herself, but none for me. I get that I need to put in the work, but she could at least introduce me to some folks.
I sigh. It’s no use being frustrated with my coworker, especially when it’s only the two of us in the office. We both report to my old manager back in Massachusetts. We have weekly video calls, but other than that, Clem and I are on our own. I’m not sure how I feel about that yet. Six months in, and I miss some of the structure we had at Frills East, but I do like the freedom here at Frills West. When I don’t feel like coming in, I just work from home. Shiloh loves those days.
Once my computer is ready to go, I open up the design software we use to model some scenarios for our clients. I’m working for a young woman named Nadine who owns a bunch of properties around Los Angeles that she rents out as Airbnbs.
This is the third property I’ve done for her, and she has loved my work, which is awesome. I got Nadine on my own, too, without any help from Clem. I’m proud of the ongoing work, though I know eventually she’s going to run out of properties, and I’ll be stuck again if I don’t get more regular clients. The one-offs don’t really pay the bills. It’s the ones with multiple buildings, or even just multiple rooms that keep my rent paid and keep me from moving back to Mass with my tail between my legs, though I’ve been tempted to do so anyway.
I read over Nadine’s email once more. The stark, white apartment building where this property is located is right on the beach. She wants me to make it look like the beach houses on the East Coast, which is something I’m quite familiar with. I’m thinking blue walls with white seashells and rope décor. Sand-colored couches in the living area and hardwood floors with a wicker rug. The design looks pretty good on my computer, if I say so myself. I send a proof of the living room to Nadine for her approval before I start finding the actual products.
The research part of my job is my least favorite. I love doing the designs, but then I have to look for matching products, and that’s so much more work. I’m an artist, not a professional shopper.
Though I suppose, in this line of business, I have to be a little of both.
I glance at the time in the bottom right corner of my laptop and then at Clementine’s desk ten feet from mine. She didn’t mention working from home today, but she’s usually in by now if she’s going to be here. I might get the whole place to myself, which means I can order Chinese food for lunch. Clem hates the smell of the garlic sauce I get with my broccoli, so I never order it when she’s around. She returns the favor by never ordering sushi when I’m in the office because I can’t stand the smell of fish.
I know, I know. A New Englander who doesn’t like fish? Trust me; my parents think I’m insane. They’ve been pushing lobster, crab, clams, and anything else they can think of on me since I was a kid, and I can’t stomach any of it.
While I wait for Nadine to get back to me on the living room, I scroll through emails to see if I have any new potential clients. There are a few leads that I’ll need to follow up on. I always try to go see the space and give some basic ideas. I’m not much of a salesperson, but it seems to work.
Since Clem isn’t here to give me side-eye, I pull out my phone and start texting some of my friends and scrolling through social media. Nothing much has happened since I looked this morning. Maybe I should go home and hang out with Shiloh. I’ll give Clem another hour to show up. If I leave and then she comes in after me, she’ll be annoyed. Clem may not officially be the boss here, but she tends to act like it, and I don’t need to deal with her crap today.