I looked up the freelance job in question, it pays $36 for a 215 page publication from the 80s, including checking where automation has failed. A question to those who do freelance work: sites like Upwork often have low budgets, where do you guys find better projects with better compensation?
Actually, it was a project, I priced out at $100. Thinking I could rip through it easily. It took me longer than I thought I am sad to admit, even with my rough pipes, and multiple sed and greppings :)
edit: And the catalog was 1048 pages long not counting the index.