Relatives, acquaintances, and people I just met ask me what I do for a living, and I tell them I'm a freelance writer/proofreader/web designer/what-have-you and that I work from home. This promptly causes them to nod, eye me a little strangely, and say, "Wow, it sounds like such an easy life."

Well, I have news for them: No, being a freelancer is not necessarily an easy life, what with the need to look for clients, ensure a steady stream of income, and produce excellent results, which will ensure client loyalty and positive referrals. We work too, you know! *sobs*

But yes, I must admit that it is an easy life in the sense that we're not tied to one company, and there's the lovely bonus of not going to an office. Of course, we have to handle everything by ourselves, but that's the way we like it, or else we wouldn't be doing it.

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate being a freelancer, and there are even two specific times in a year when you can do so.

• October is National Pajama Month, and although it's a pajama industry-sponsored occasion, Leslie Truex, The Pajama Mama, declared that it is the perfect time for you to start looking for work-at-home opportunities. Great way to transform a commercial event into something more personally rewarding, eh?
  
• Last year, Work Wise UK deemed May 18 National Work From Home Day. No word yet on what date it will fall this year.

No one's declared anything like Freelancers' Day here yet, but hey, I say if you're a freelancer, and if you're developing your craft and skills, constantly bubbling with creative juices, or you're just happy to be out of the office and beginning to do your own thing, then every day is the perfect time to celebrate being a freelancer.