Alright then. (alright isn't a word in English. I'm ok with that).

Today was my last day at the 9-5 job, and the malaise that affected that company is now behind me (even if it's still close and in the rearview mirror).

What this means is that I'm officially a free agent. Right now I've dedicated time to CivicSpace and I have one other proposal that I have sitting in my mailbox and I will read through tonight and see if it is something I want to work on. I'll happily entertain other offers, and I would also happily entertain advice from other folks who've been doing this for awhile.

I'm actually doing this in a manner that is almost certainly the wrong way. In short, I have put on my diving cap, held my nose, and jumped right into the deep end of the pool without first ensuring that I know how to swim. This probably wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but everything I’ve seen indicates I’ll probably splash around for awhile and do reasonably well.

So that said, I would love advice from people in the community. I would like to know such interesting information as:

• What kind of rates do people charge for Drupal services? How do you generally bill and how and when do you accept payment?
• What kind of graphic/artistic types are out there who’d be willing to partner up if the situation warrants it? (I have nothing of that nature right now, but it’s easier if I know some people I can contact for such things).
• How do you organize and bill for your time?
• Any tips or tricks about taxes? (Only applies to the U.S. knowledgeable folks, probably).

I’m sure there are other things I need to know. I’ll find them out, I’m sure!