Interview with Pamela Gardapee

Pamela Gardapee, freelance writer and mother to two grown children. She's been a WAHP for a little over three years now and will brush up on those feelings most of us feel but never say. Now hang on as I go and pop open my Soda.

What's your name and can ya tell me a bit about yourself? (not your job, but you)

My name is Pamela Gardapee and I am a freelance writer. I have two grown children (ages 26, & 27)and I am going to be grandma in March. I have two dogs and three cats who are all spoiled rotten. When I am not writing, I fill in doing part-time bartending here and there just to stay fresh with my way of thinking and getting ideas for stories. I hope to someday find the time to write a book about my adventures in bartending, as I have over twenty years of stories.

Tell me a bit about your business?

I am a freelance writer with about 11 clients. I pick up other miscellaneous items in between projects as well. I also do data entry and customer service when I am asked to. I have recently started four blogs, one about dogs and one about my animals. The other two are just for something to stir things up. I hope to be able to generate revenue from the blogs to further add to my earnings. They are new sites, but my advertising is paying off as I have traffic averaging out to 300 hits per day. For only being a month old, I feel confident I can succeed.

Did you work outside the home before this?

Yes I did. I was a bartender/bookkeeper until they tore down the bar to make a vacant lot. Before that, I was a Supervisor in a Distribution/Assembly Warehouse. I was separate from the main factory by two blocks and did my own customer service, HR, shipping/receiving and controlled three shifts of assembly workers. Land O’ Lakes Cocoa was my main assembly account for floor displays.

What is the easiest thing about being a WAHP and the hardest?

The easiest thing is getting out of bed, opening my Pepsi and starting work. I do not have to get dressed or showered until I am ready. The winters are best part about not having to leave the house to work. The hardest thing about being a WAHP is steady income is hard sometimes and the hours are long.

Yep, I have to get that daily fix and I agree, finding work can be a real pain.

Which do you prefer?

Some days I wish I could just be rich so I would not have to work so hard, but I like being at home working. My dogs are always with someone and that makes me happy.

Are there moments where you wish you could work outside the home again?

Yes and usually when I get that feeling, I go to an area bar at night and my thoughts revert back thinking about why I like working at home and how nice and quiet it is and nobody acts dump except the animals.

What made you decide to be a WAHP?

Years ago when I was management downsized from my Supervisors job, I looked everywhere trying to find something to do at home. Because it was still new, I had no idea where to look. Therefore, I have wanted to do this for a long time. One day, I found a website looking for someone to write and I applied. I received the project and succeeded in being paid. I was so excited, I made it my goal to retire from bartending full time and write for a living. It has been a tough road, but I never was a quitter.

Next up Tuesday Tip Day, find out what tip she has in store for you.

Do you have any questions for her?