scifiknitter

I am now blogging for pay on two websites. That’s something I never expected I might do. Blogging has been a hobby and a means for learning about myself. Sometimes I find out what I really think only after I start writing it down. If you write for pay, you have to reckon with the fact that you are giving up your rights to the words you put together. Those words have been sold and title to them has passed from you to a new owner, just like selling a used car. I tried to negotiate a deal where I could keep the rights, but that simply is not the way the world works in most cases. After thinking about it, I decided that the potential good I could do meant more to me than retaining ownership rights. The extra money could be used to travel to conferences, which are hard to afford on a fixed income. I also realized that I could be selective about what I chose to sell. I am writing different kinds of pieces for the two sites. One wants only survivorship-type topics from me: how to dea...

It has been just over a year from when I opened this blog, and nearly a year from when I started posting to it regularly. I have gained a lot from blogging. A few real friends, and many warm acquaintances. A greater appreciation for how much I like the act of writing. Technological skills - blogging has spurred me to learn how to better use the Web for my own purposes, rather than just surf it. I think I have also grappled with an internal demon or two, and am a happier person as a result. The intent of this blog is to open up my writing to members of my family and friends. It has worked well for me. My mother, daughter, my son's GF, and at least one friend regularly read this blog, and my mom especially treasures the opportunity to feel close to me as she reads my words. I also have some readership because the blog is cross-referenced on my Ravelry profile. Now I have discovered that my blog has been discovered by northcountrynow.com , a popular local news website, and by a woman ...

It has been a while since I have been inspired to write. I have been so busy reading. The official start of the election season has taken over all of my free time (and some stolen hours) as I check back continually on what is happening. I'm hooked on: The Huffington Post . Though sometimes I get sucked into the celebrity gossip that is rife there, and I'm never proud of myself afterwards. Politico . This site is relatively new to me. It's a bit stuffy and it works really hard to be even handed. There are some decent blogs on both sides of the election that I check from time to time, but I'm not addicted to any of them yet. I admit, I have a hard time resisting a link. DailyKos . Liveblogging through the Republican convention was a hoot, and I am hooked on the daily pundit roundup. The optimism that pervades the site is good for my spirits. The optimism here is not based on good feelings, hopes and wishes - it is based on the solid organizing work that progressives have...