“it is monstrously GOOD!”

yesterday turned out to be (nearly) one of the best days on record. maybe in my whole life.

the things i crave and try to structure so much into being, just fell gently into place yesterday. It was the perfect storm of factors:  enough sleep, good weather, long run, contented relaxation, alone time, a productively engaged husband, a good book, time in the park (with said book) watching kids and fountains, an evening meal made of random leftovers, many responses to a business email indicate lots of interest in my next class, no desire to drink, a hilarious Irish movie (The Guard) that made me cry with laughter.

And yes, ladies and gentlemen, this isn’t just your ordinary garden variety pink cloud.  Yesterday I also found a temporary answer to the vexing problem of european labor restrictions for foreigners…

After sitting in the sunny park for an hour in the afternoon, i was walking home, and a thought just popped into my head. i hadn’t been mulling it over, the idea just arrived fully formed when i was about 5 minutes from the apartment.

I will invoice this new work through my existing North American company, i will bill it as “consulting” or something equally generic, and i will generate legal and legitimate invoices for the new work through my N.A. company.

Rather than trying to avoid a paper trail, or avoiding signing a waiver, or trying to figure out how to do it under the table, i will just bring it all above board in a way that is a bit circuitous but is more ‘allowed’.  it will have some weirdness, like i’ll be paying taxes on this income in N.A., and i’ll be paid in euros and will have to figure out how to get that into my N.A. bank account in dollars without horrific fees every time, but those are technical issues and aren’t psychic issues. (i can probably just keep the checks for several months, then mail them to my bank at home, and ask my bank manager to deposit them for me.  I can probably cash the checks myself here and call it ‘wages’ or ‘rent’ or ‘office supplies’ or ‘staff development’.)

and once i realized that — wake up Belle, duh, you have a company already set up at home — and that i can just run this new work through that same company until i’m allowed to set up a company here (which is in January), then the physical feeling of relief was gigantic.  i really didn’t want to play fast and loose with the system, because i really really really will not accept having to leave here against my will.  some day we may decide we’re ready for a new adventure, but i don’t want to be forced to leave this new idyllic life because i fucked with their system.

And that my friends, may sound long and complicated, but for me it’s easier than just ‘taking my chances’.  I am more conservative here in new country, because i don’t want to go home.  and because of language issues i sometimes don’t really understand all the rules until i’ve broken them.  You have to renew your health care card every year? on the anniversary of when you entered the country? unless your husband lost his work permit after moving here, in which case you have to renew it on the anniversary of when he lost is job? really?

no.  no ranting.  all is well.

and to prove all of this worrying is entirely one-sided, my new employer posted to my new company’s Facebook page this morning about our meeting on Friday …

“While working late Friday night I pulled out your sample again – AMAZING!!! it is monstrously GOOD! thank you so much!”

thus begins monday, it will also be a good day. Day 72!