Having to Turn Down Work

Recently, I had to turn down a contract consulting job to complete a National Register of Historic Places nomination. This is a slightly odd sensation. As a grad student, I don't have a lot of money. So when a contract job comes along, I don't really like the idea of turning it down. Afterall, with a going rate of $25-30 an hour for this kind of historic preservation project, I can make a few good bucks in short order. (Just as a side note here, once you are really established as an h.p. consultant, you can charge upwards of $75-100 an hour - I know one woman who regularly charges $150/hr!) But, as a grad student, I am also very short on time. Right now I'm trying to juggle finishing a thesis, a reseach job for one of my professors, one historic preservation contract, one web design contract, and (most important) actually being able to see my girlfriend! Plus, we have a wedding to go to in San Diego this weekend. In the end, I decided that based on my schedule and when this client wanted the project done, I simply could not take it on. Too bad, as it sounds like a relatively easy nomination. It was for a single ranch house in downtown Phoenix, where L. Ron Hubbard lived when he started Scientology, which has recenly been restored to its original condition. It should have no trouble getting registered, but she wanted it done in the next 2 to 3 weeks. No way I could get that done, so I had to decline. Oh well - there'll be others. It's still odd to turn down work and money . . .