Comments on: Blankspaces: For Freelancers Who Miss Their Cubes

By: aabelove

aabelove — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:52:12 +0000

I can see the need. I’ve rented office space from a small business but it was a little uncomfortable because I always felt squeezed out. I’m having a lot more success just renting conference rooms when I need to. I think that a large office like that would be too high turnover. I’d me more comfortable with a small suite shared by other freelancers.

By: Tips for Metblogs Shills | Los Angeles Metblogs

Tips for Metblogs Shills | Los Angeles Metblogs — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:59:48 +0000

[...] instance, hypothetically speaking, a post like my send up of Blankspaces, and you want to post a rebuttal comment, don’t pretend to be a random customer/fan. 2. If you insist on pretending to be a random [...]

By: browne

browne — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:10:48 +0000

I’m not a person who makes dreams happen, but say I were, unless I lived right by Wilshire why would I want to come to your fake office on Wilshire? I would think if I’m the kind of person that could make dreams happen I’d want you to come to me. I want you to come to my office in Beverly Hills or Malibu or wherever it is that people who listen to pitches live. I may tell you to meet me for drinks, but come to your fake office on Wilshire with that freakin’ traffic. Do you validate my parking?

That’s like telling your date you have a fabulous loft in downtown when you actually just live in a one room SRO. Yeah it’s kind of like a loft because the whole one room thing, but no ones buying that and no one is going to buy that you’re more professional than someone who pitches at Starbucks because you were the kind of sucker who rented a cubicle.

Now if this company was a little more on the down low in regards to publicizing the whole “fake office” thing, but you know who isn’t a google maniac now? People give me an address and I’ll google it, not just for maps, but for info.

You lease an office, not a cubicle unless your credit is really f**ked up. A real office will pretty much give you the same thing this cubicle thing will give you and it looks alot more professional if that’s the bs look you’re going for.

Now if it’s for building relationship with other lonely freelancers then ok. There are some people who want other people around, I think it’s weird, but there are people like that. I have a friend who keeps coming by when I’m trying to work and I’m not sure how she makes money, but doing this to be more professional that debate I’m not going to buy it.

Browne

By: martym1975

martym1975 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:48:42 +0000

OK, Wow, I think we are all missing something, YES we love the life of being a freelancer (working in your PJ’s and not working with the crazy people) HOWEVER, how professional is meeting at Starbucks or in you’re living room……. I guess everything is different for everybody…this place sounds interesting!

By: krock

krock — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:32:21 +0000

I disagree… I actually just signed up for Blankspaces and am really looking forward to getting out into the real world again. I’ve been working from home for 2 years now and although I do love having freedom, I also miss listening to KROQ on my morning drive, and my daily morning routine. I also miss having interaction with people on a daily basis and started getting sick of my apt. Unlike the other stuffy exec. office suites that I looked at, Blankspaces has a modern decor and actually allows you to choose the time and day that you want to come in. I got a private office for three days a week 11-6pm (so I dont have to sit in traffic). The best part is that I have friends coming in to work next to me so we can all collaborate on things together. I think the co-workspace concept is genius. Who can afford a color laser copier and projection screen on their own? I also get to use the conference room at my leisure so I don’t have to do the “Starbucks Pitch” anymore. Oh yeah… It’s right across the street from Busby’s (which has a killer happy hour). I guess it depends what kind of work you do really… For instance, if you’re a writer, you wont want any distractions… I’m an entertainment publicist and need interaction!

By: frazgo

frazgo — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:01:37 +0000

browne you crack me up.

By: browne

browne — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:26:14 +0000

So this is what they are going to do to all of those unsold converted loft/condo thingies….

Browne

By: frazgo

frazgo — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:59:58 +0000

OMG I liken the cube dweller to the cave dweller only shackled harder with a cyclops montoring every keystroke of the day. A cube is just a different name for a cage. Hell the last employer gave us electronic keys that not only unlocked doors but monitored our every movement in the freaking building. The knew whether you stood in front of urinal 1 or sat in stall 2 and for how freaking long. Awful.

I left the cube 5 years and 5 months ago and count my days of freedom. I will never go back. Rare I use an absolute but that one is for certain.

Man nor beast was never meant to be kept in a cage. That is why I meander and follow the greatest curiosity.

By: rodger

rodger — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:01:55 +0000

I don’t know, Travis. The vitriol is kind of high here on this topic. Fourteen years ago, after my daughter was born, I rented a cubicle in a mid-sized real estate office for my freelance writing. I went to “the office” every day at 9:00 and left when I was done for the day, whatever time that might be. Going to an office with few other distractions — no TV or radio to distract me, etc. — instilled a sense of discipline I never had before that.

By: Travis Koplow

Travis Koplow — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:01:14 +0000

Fair enough, thedaniel. If I needed fancy equipment or the like, I could see coworking, but to me, misanthrope that I am, the joy of freelance work is the no-co aspect of it. I’m with Sartre on the whole “Hell is other people” thing.