The life of a work at home writing mom of autistic children. Humor required. Sanity optional.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Those Who Get It
Have you ever had people look at you funny when they invite you and your kids to ‘come by the house any old time’ and you inform them that you would have to go over first, then gradually start bringing the kids over a course of time? They don’t understand. They don’t get it that just because their house is safe for their kids doesn’t mean it’s going to be safe for yours. Just because their kids can go to new places with no problems doesn’t mean that yours can. And when you try to explain it to them they blow you off. You can see it in their eyes; they think you’re being over-protective or that you’re blowing things way out of proportion. Maybe they think you’re trying to come up with an excuse not to go.
Here’s the deal folks. It’s no excuse. I rarely take my kids to someone’s house if I haven’t been there before. The only time I ever have is when I know the people who own the house and I know they would understand my kids. Even then, my husband and I take turns keeping a close eye on them. Things can get out of hand really fast with my kids. The kind of out of hand that may require a visit to the emergency room.
So, tonight, when we were leaving a friend’s house, and I invited the lady of the house to come over to my place with the kids sometime, I understood the look in her eyes. That half haunted look. That fearful look as she told me she would have to come over by herself first because she’s never been there. Then, and only then, could she start to bring the kids over little by little. Her kids have various special needs too. But, just because mine do as well doesn’t mean that my house is safe for her kids. She will need to inspect, point out problems so they can be taken care of, and negotiate ground rules for visits to my house.
I get it. Believe me I do. And the last thing we want to hear is “Oh, they’ll be fine.” When I hear that it’s a red flag, and it sends me running. It means that person I’m talking to isn’t likely to take any of my kids’ many problems seriously, and that can result in tears, if we’re lucky, to injury, or even death. I’ve been in that situation before, having to explain to the ER doctor why my 6-year-old is in hypertensive crisis. Or why my 3-year-old needs her stomach pumped while they prepare the surgical suite to remove a portion of her intestine in emergency surgery. Or explaining to the cops why need to start searching RIGHT NOW.
So, if I step on a few toes, or hurt a few feelings, or lose a few ‘friends’ it’s a small price to pay for the safety of my child. And if I have to wait a few months to have a friend over with kids in tow it’s worth it for the safety of her child.
And if you don’t get it, go stuff yourself.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Today is Mother’s Day here in America. Therefore, I want to talk about cameras
Almost a good shot, but my camera wouldn't focus when framed right. |
My tiny little town recently suffered a tragedy. A historical landmark burnt to the ground. A landmark that we, as a community, are very fond of. As the only representative of one of my main publishers in this entire area I went out to cover the story. And this is what I found...
My little pocket camera doesn’t do so well taking shots of fire fighters in action or filter out the sound of circular saws when in video mode. I can’t tell the spokesman from the fire department to make the guys in the background stop what their doing while he addresses the press core about the fire they’re still wrapping up. I can’t make the crying child stand still, or get the dog, who’s running through traffic to get the child’s side, to pose for a shot. I can’t get the crowd, who came out to mourn the loss of the landmark, to stay still.
Interesting picture, but the lighting sucks. |
I have children to feed and bills to pay. My publisher pays up three times more for articles accompanied by original photos and video. I’ve done the math. I need a new camera. So, if there’s a Mother’s Day faerie out there somewhere, could you please send me a Cannon Rebel Eos T3 with level 1 lens kit and a tripod? Please?
![]() |
It took me an hour to set up this shot and wait for the light. |
Monday, April 2, 2012
Has The Baby Become The Bathwater?
Today, April 2, 2012 is the 6th annual World Autism Awareness Day, as ratified by the United Nations council. In fact, here in the United States the entire month of April is Autism Awareness Month. Now, some will ask why so much attention is being given to this. The answer is simple.
Autism is quickly overtaking the human race. Not slowly. Quickly.
Yes, I know, that sounds like an exaggeration. But here are the facts: 50 years ago autism only affected 1 out of every 100,000 people. 30 years ago it affected 1 in 10, 000 people. 20 years ago it affected 1 in 160 people. Last month the Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced that it now affects 1 in 88 people.
That means that in just two generations the numbers went from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 88.
Many scream and yell (or simply whine) about the numbers being skewed by the new diagnostic routines. They will point out that 50 years ago we didn't have a very good understanding of autism and so only the most sever and obvious cases were diagnosed. That argument only holds a thimble full of water. Why? Because the number of severe and obvious cases have increased by about 5,000%.
Have we gotten better at detecting all levels of autism? Yes, we have. But, even if you remove the higher functioning forms from consideration the number of sever cases has exploded, not by folds but by magnitudes.
Most people in my generation in the US learned about a phenomenon called Super Evolution in basic high school biology (now being called 'rapid evolution' because creationist have co-opted the first term to their own illogical ends). The phenomenon was explained to students using the 'chimney moth model', which was a real super evolution that happened in Europe. An entire sub-species of white, nocturnal moths changed into black daytime moths in less than 5 generations. For the Chimney Sweeper Moth, this was a good thing. It saved the sub-species from being wiped out by birds that preyed on them... namely pigeons.
But, not every super evolution turned out so well. Scientific history is riddled with incidence of super evolutions that resulted in the end of a species. Countless cases where a species took a genetic left where they should have taken a right.
How does this relate to autism? Anytime a species develops a significant change in it's biology that marks it as having a major and distinct difference from its predecessors in less than 200 generations it's a super evolution. Autism is a major and distinct difference, and it's overtaking the human race in so quickly that within another few generations those without some form or level of autism will be in the minority. Mathematical models say that it will only take one generation... the one that is being conceived now. The children born today are in the vanguard of a new human race. A human race in which the average person displays a significant number of autistic traits.
But, how does a super evolution happen? The one thing that is consistent in every case of super evolution is that the species in question was influenced by an extraordinary outside force. It was a matter of "adapt or die". In the case of the chimney moths it was the presence of human beings, specifically human cities. They only got the name after their super evolution, because of their super evolution. Before that they were simply regular old run-of-the-mill coastal moths. What happened was people built cities in the moth's native habitat, which at first was no big deal. In fact the moths thrived on the cities and bounty of food the high concentration of humans brought with them.
As this concentration became denser and denser the moths found homes on the rooftops, specifically on and around the warm chimneys of human fireplaces. But chimneys produce soot, which is black. White moths stand out against that black and are easily noticeable. This became a major liability to the moths when something else began a boom population living off the human cities... pigeons. Pigeons, and other birds, love human cities for all the tasty discards we leave behind. Pigeons also like to eat bugs, which human cities attract en mass. To a pigeon moths are juicy and tasty treats that prove an immense amount of protein. Moths are to a pigeon as a t-bone is to a redneck.
So, the moths had to deal with this boom population of flying predators. Actually, the flying predators dealt with them. The birds ate all of the white moths, which were easy pickings on those black chimneys. But, mutations happen. A few grey and black offspring had been born to the white moths. Normally this wouldn't have made a difference in the overall genetic condition of the moths as a race. The black moths may or may not have mated and passed on their genetic profile, but the moth population was overwhelmingly white... until the birds ate all of the white ones. All that were left were the black ones, that hid well against the black chimneys. Birds hunt by sight, and the black moths were essentially invisible to them so long as they didn't move. The ones that did got eaten, and their genetic stupidity was removed from the moth gene pool along with the white winged moths that had just perished before them.
I don't remember specifically why they turned into daytime moths, but I seem to remember that it had something to do with the Viceroy Effect, which is where one species begins to mimic the look or behavior of another to avoid becoming dinner for a common predator. Typically the first species mimics a similar species that is poisonous to the predator. In this case, it would be a colored nocturnal moth mimicking a daytime butterfly, many of which are poisonous to birds in the affected regions where the chimney moth super evolved.
Again, what does all of this have to do with autism? Look at how much the world has changed in the last hundred years. Look at how much, we, the human race, have changed the world ourselves. And it isn't any one thing, as some people would have you believe. It isn't just one thing or another. It isn't just mercury or genetics. It isn't just sociological changes or pollution or diets. You cannot change a living environment as drastically as we have in the last century and not expect a significant change in the population that dwells in that environment. Especially when you are removing or suppressing the biological nature of the population's regular breeding habits by changing the conditions for survival.
A hundred years ago the strongest and healthiest mates were still preferable. Men who could work the hardest and longest and women who could bare the most children and had the most endurance for mundane tasks. Now we look for mates, on both sides of the coin, who work the smartest, and the amount of physical labor involved in earning a living has been reduced dramatically. It's not like the need for strength is gone, but now we live in w world where thinkers are king. Our societies have developed so that we emphasize and reward specialized thinking.
If there is one thing that autistics excel at it's specialized thinking. We have created a world in which people with autistic traits are the ideal mates. This spreads the genetics far and wide which creates a massive pre-disposition to problems arising from environmental factors that trigger further mutations. Add in the fact that these genes are being reprocessed and magnified by several hundred percent with every passing generation as the global society changes to include more and more technology, thus more and more specialized thinkers, and you no longer have a snowball or what some people are calling an pandemic. You have an unstoppable landslide.
You have a human super evolution.
Can it be stopped? Maybe it could have once upon a time, but that time is long gone. Short of an apocalyptic event destroying modern society as we know it, it's too late. The genetic baby has already become the genetic bathwater.
Autism is quickly overtaking the human race. Not slowly. Quickly.
Yes, I know, that sounds like an exaggeration. But here are the facts: 50 years ago autism only affected 1 out of every 100,000 people. 30 years ago it affected 1 in 10, 000 people. 20 years ago it affected 1 in 160 people. Last month the Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced that it now affects 1 in 88 people.
That means that in just two generations the numbers went from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 88.
Many scream and yell (or simply whine) about the numbers being skewed by the new diagnostic routines. They will point out that 50 years ago we didn't have a very good understanding of autism and so only the most sever and obvious cases were diagnosed. That argument only holds a thimble full of water. Why? Because the number of severe and obvious cases have increased by about 5,000%.
Have we gotten better at detecting all levels of autism? Yes, we have. But, even if you remove the higher functioning forms from consideration the number of sever cases has exploded, not by folds but by magnitudes.
Most people in my generation in the US learned about a phenomenon called Super Evolution in basic high school biology (now being called 'rapid evolution' because creationist have co-opted the first term to their own illogical ends). The phenomenon was explained to students using the 'chimney moth model', which was a real super evolution that happened in Europe. An entire sub-species of white, nocturnal moths changed into black daytime moths in less than 5 generations. For the Chimney Sweeper Moth, this was a good thing. It saved the sub-species from being wiped out by birds that preyed on them... namely pigeons.
But, not every super evolution turned out so well. Scientific history is riddled with incidence of super evolutions that resulted in the end of a species. Countless cases where a species took a genetic left where they should have taken a right.
How does this relate to autism? Anytime a species develops a significant change in it's biology that marks it as having a major and distinct difference from its predecessors in less than 200 generations it's a super evolution. Autism is a major and distinct difference, and it's overtaking the human race in so quickly that within another few generations those without some form or level of autism will be in the minority. Mathematical models say that it will only take one generation... the one that is being conceived now. The children born today are in the vanguard of a new human race. A human race in which the average person displays a significant number of autistic traits.
But, how does a super evolution happen? The one thing that is consistent in every case of super evolution is that the species in question was influenced by an extraordinary outside force. It was a matter of "adapt or die". In the case of the chimney moths it was the presence of human beings, specifically human cities. They only got the name after their super evolution, because of their super evolution. Before that they were simply regular old run-of-the-mill coastal moths. What happened was people built cities in the moth's native habitat, which at first was no big deal. In fact the moths thrived on the cities and bounty of food the high concentration of humans brought with them.
As this concentration became denser and denser the moths found homes on the rooftops, specifically on and around the warm chimneys of human fireplaces. But chimneys produce soot, which is black. White moths stand out against that black and are easily noticeable. This became a major liability to the moths when something else began a boom population living off the human cities... pigeons. Pigeons, and other birds, love human cities for all the tasty discards we leave behind. Pigeons also like to eat bugs, which human cities attract en mass. To a pigeon moths are juicy and tasty treats that prove an immense amount of protein. Moths are to a pigeon as a t-bone is to a redneck.
So, the moths had to deal with this boom population of flying predators. Actually, the flying predators dealt with them. The birds ate all of the white moths, which were easy pickings on those black chimneys. But, mutations happen. A few grey and black offspring had been born to the white moths. Normally this wouldn't have made a difference in the overall genetic condition of the moths as a race. The black moths may or may not have mated and passed on their genetic profile, but the moth population was overwhelmingly white... until the birds ate all of the white ones. All that were left were the black ones, that hid well against the black chimneys. Birds hunt by sight, and the black moths were essentially invisible to them so long as they didn't move. The ones that did got eaten, and their genetic stupidity was removed from the moth gene pool along with the white winged moths that had just perished before them.
I don't remember specifically why they turned into daytime moths, but I seem to remember that it had something to do with the Viceroy Effect, which is where one species begins to mimic the look or behavior of another to avoid becoming dinner for a common predator. Typically the first species mimics a similar species that is poisonous to the predator. In this case, it would be a colored nocturnal moth mimicking a daytime butterfly, many of which are poisonous to birds in the affected regions where the chimney moth super evolved.
Again, what does all of this have to do with autism? Look at how much the world has changed in the last hundred years. Look at how much, we, the human race, have changed the world ourselves. And it isn't any one thing, as some people would have you believe. It isn't just one thing or another. It isn't just mercury or genetics. It isn't just sociological changes or pollution or diets. You cannot change a living environment as drastically as we have in the last century and not expect a significant change in the population that dwells in that environment. Especially when you are removing or suppressing the biological nature of the population's regular breeding habits by changing the conditions for survival.
A hundred years ago the strongest and healthiest mates were still preferable. Men who could work the hardest and longest and women who could bare the most children and had the most endurance for mundane tasks. Now we look for mates, on both sides of the coin, who work the smartest, and the amount of physical labor involved in earning a living has been reduced dramatically. It's not like the need for strength is gone, but now we live in w world where thinkers are king. Our societies have developed so that we emphasize and reward specialized thinking.
If there is one thing that autistics excel at it's specialized thinking. We have created a world in which people with autistic traits are the ideal mates. This spreads the genetics far and wide which creates a massive pre-disposition to problems arising from environmental factors that trigger further mutations. Add in the fact that these genes are being reprocessed and magnified by several hundred percent with every passing generation as the global society changes to include more and more technology, thus more and more specialized thinkers, and you no longer have a snowball or what some people are calling an pandemic. You have an unstoppable landslide.
You have a human super evolution.
Can it be stopped? Maybe it could have once upon a time, but that time is long gone. Short of an apocalyptic event destroying modern society as we know it, it's too late. The genetic baby has already become the genetic bathwater.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I'm not autistic, I'm merely 'different'
Are you one of those people who say that higher functioning forms of autism are not a disability, they're merely a 'difference'? If so, I have great news for you! The fine people at the American Psychiatric Association (ASA) agree! They've recently released the proposed changes to the diagnostic criteria for autism for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5th Eddition (DSM-V), and all of those who are merely 'different' will no longer qualify for a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
My children, however, will still be autistic. So, once these fine rules take effect I'm going to start bitchslapping people for telling me my daughter's problems are just bad manners, poor parenting, because we homeschool, or I'm making them up, because, after all, you, or your kid, was "diagnosed with that too" and you, or your kid, are merely 'different'.
Really? Have you not read the Letter to Grandparents? (Click here stupid)
My kid is different alright. She's different to the point of being disabled. My child is probably going to need supports for the rest of her life. Oh wait... I have TWO minor children with autism. One is very obviously autistic. After 5 minutes of talking to her even a complete stranger can visibly see there's 'something wrong'. The other one though... not so much.
That one is still going to be considered autistic after the new criteria go into effect. I've already talked to her doctor about it. He says the only change that he can see will be a change in formal diagnosis from Asperger's Syndrome to moderate ASD. Oh yeah, she's being downgraded. Why is none of your business.
What is your business is the load of hell you're going to get from me and people like me if you keep this "it's only a difference" stuff up after the DSM-V is released. The people who are merely 'different' will have been weeded out.
Unfortunately, some people (both kids and adults) who actually need help will be weeded out right along with you. But, take heart, your inscesent whining paid off. Your image will be protected. Meanwhile, my friend's kid, who is one anal retentive trait short of an ASD diagnosis is going to fall through the cracks. His parents will start, and actually already have started, scrambling to figure out a way to get him the help he needs so that he can be something resembling self-suffient as an adult so as not to become a welfare burden on your tax dollar. Oh wait... it will be you kids' tax dollar. Nevermind that at least half of those kids won't pay taxes because they won't have jobs... because they're 'different'.
Am I mad? You tell me. No, I'll tell you: I'm fricken furious!
Go ride your tricycle.
My children, however, will still be autistic. So, once these fine rules take effect I'm going to start bitchslapping people for telling me my daughter's problems are just bad manners, poor parenting, because we homeschool, or I'm making them up, because, after all, you, or your kid, was "diagnosed with that too" and you, or your kid, are merely 'different'.
Really? Have you not read the Letter to Grandparents? (Click here stupid)
My kid is different alright. She's different to the point of being disabled. My child is probably going to need supports for the rest of her life. Oh wait... I have TWO minor children with autism. One is very obviously autistic. After 5 minutes of talking to her even a complete stranger can visibly see there's 'something wrong'. The other one though... not so much.
That one is still going to be considered autistic after the new criteria go into effect. I've already talked to her doctor about it. He says the only change that he can see will be a change in formal diagnosis from Asperger's Syndrome to moderate ASD. Oh yeah, she's being downgraded. Why is none of your business.
What is your business is the load of hell you're going to get from me and people like me if you keep this "it's only a difference" stuff up after the DSM-V is released. The people who are merely 'different' will have been weeded out.
Unfortunately, some people (both kids and adults) who actually need help will be weeded out right along with you. But, take heart, your inscesent whining paid off. Your image will be protected. Meanwhile, my friend's kid, who is one anal retentive trait short of an ASD diagnosis is going to fall through the cracks. His parents will start, and actually already have started, scrambling to figure out a way to get him the help he needs so that he can be something resembling self-suffient as an adult so as not to become a welfare burden on your tax dollar. Oh wait... it will be you kids' tax dollar. Nevermind that at least half of those kids won't pay taxes because they won't have jobs... because they're 'different'.
Am I mad? You tell me. No, I'll tell you: I'm fricken furious!
Go ride your tricycle.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Tricycles and Semi Trucks
To those who think they 'know' what my life is like becuase they've 'met' a person with autism... to those who think they know because they know me, and have met my children... especially to those who've yet to have children of their own...
There is a point when a child is only 5 weeks old, when the new has become painful. When you're woken by a cry for the thrid time that night, and it's only midnight. When you feel like you will never be allowed to sleep again. When you think bright yellow cottage cheeze-looking poop is the worst thing you have ever smelled in your life and you don't think you'll ever get away from it. There is that point. Take heart in the fact that this, all of this, will pass. Eventually it will end. Feel blessed.
Now, when you are sitting there at 2am, trying to think of this, think of me. Think of my friends who have children with disabilities. Think of all the smart mouthed know it all crap you said to us. Then realize, truely realize that this point will pass for you, but it will never pass for us. For us it is forever. It does not end. As our kids grow older one issue is simply swapped out for another. The sleepless nights don't go away. We know that newborn baby poop is not the worst smelling thing in the world. We don't hold tinly little bundles who can't stop crying and we don't know why. We hold fully grown bundles who can't stop crying and can't explain why.
In that moment, picture in your mind a tricycle with a cute squeeky little horn. Picture yourself sitting on that tricycle tooting that horn. Then look up. I was the armored semi truck in front of you. I was the one who your were sqeezing your little horn at while insiting the road was yours. Now realize exactly how close you came to getting squished, and be thankfull.
Be very, very thankfull.
There is a point when a child is only 5 weeks old, when the new has become painful. When you're woken by a cry for the thrid time that night, and it's only midnight. When you feel like you will never be allowed to sleep again. When you think bright yellow cottage cheeze-looking poop is the worst thing you have ever smelled in your life and you don't think you'll ever get away from it. There is that point. Take heart in the fact that this, all of this, will pass. Eventually it will end. Feel blessed.
Now, when you are sitting there at 2am, trying to think of this, think of me. Think of my friends who have children with disabilities. Think of all the smart mouthed know it all crap you said to us. Then realize, truely realize that this point will pass for you, but it will never pass for us. For us it is forever. It does not end. As our kids grow older one issue is simply swapped out for another. The sleepless nights don't go away. We know that newborn baby poop is not the worst smelling thing in the world. We don't hold tinly little bundles who can't stop crying and we don't know why. We hold fully grown bundles who can't stop crying and can't explain why.
In that moment, picture in your mind a tricycle with a cute squeeky little horn. Picture yourself sitting on that tricycle tooting that horn. Then look up. I was the armored semi truck in front of you. I was the one who your were sqeezing your little horn at while insiting the road was yours. Now realize exactly how close you came to getting squished, and be thankfull.
Be very, very thankfull.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Chasing issues into new opportunities
Since we moved to Chino Valley last Fall, it seems like we've been chasing one emergency after another. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, living here on the farm, but I honestly didn't expect to run into some of the issues we did.
The plumming problems, that generated great debates on Facebook, were sort of expected. I knew that the septic tank was going to have to be emptied soon, but replacing both toilets at the same time was added, and unwanted, bonus I didn't expect. It wouldn't have been a major issue if not for another, very big issue that we had just started dealing with at the time.
My husband had no problem finding a job when we moved up here. Life was good for about the first 3 months. Then work started slacking off and the paychecks got smaller and smaller and smaller. Then, in Early December, they just stopped. There was no work to be done, and he wasn't getting any hours. Now my husband is in the agnozing limbo of being technically employed but not having a job. His line of work... heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)... is very 'feast or famine', b ut I've never seen a famine period like this. Ever. He's doing it for 11 years and he's never gone 6 weeks without work. The longest period before was 3 weeks, and that was considered bad.
So, we have only my income to live on, which currently isn't much. I was barely paying our insurance permiums, forget food and other bills. We agreed when we got married that my primary occupation was Mom, and any money I made would be suplimental. There was a period, several years ago, where I had to break out my college education and be the primary breadwinner while my husband expanded is own, but again, that was expected. And something we had agreed on. This time it was a surprise.
So, I've been exapnding my portfolio and picking up new writing gigs. It takes time to generate an increase in income when you're a writer. You have to build networks and fan bases for your new gigs. You have to really get involved with your new publisher and learn their moods and demands. Then there's sharpening your skills in your new beat or topic...
I've been writing about food for years. I love cooking, food gardening, etc; plus I home-ec as an after school class to kids in the neighborhood when we lived in Phoenix. The topic was a good fit. Then.
Now, I find myself a bit tired of writing about food and cooking. So, when I was looking for new writing opportunities I decided to take advantage of a standing publisher and ask for a whole new topic. One I've always found exciting, but didn't have the opportunity to give it much attention: promoting what to do in Prescott and the Prescott area, my home town. Now I live here again, and the world is wide open to me. Examiner.com seemed to agree, becasue they gave me a new topic: Prescott Places and Faces Examiner. (click the link and check it out!)
I've only been at it a few days, so I'm still broke, but, I feel like a kid in a candy store. I'm excited about writing periodicals again. I can always write books (my first love), but books take years to come to fruition. Someday I'll be able to live off the money I make from them, but that day is not today. Today periodicals pay the bills. So, periodicals it is.
My goal now? To make enough money to pay mygrandmother back for the new toilets. Back to work with me!
The plumming problems, that generated great debates on Facebook, were sort of expected. I knew that the septic tank was going to have to be emptied soon, but replacing both toilets at the same time was added, and unwanted, bonus I didn't expect. It wouldn't have been a major issue if not for another, very big issue that we had just started dealing with at the time.
My husband had no problem finding a job when we moved up here. Life was good for about the first 3 months. Then work started slacking off and the paychecks got smaller and smaller and smaller. Then, in Early December, they just stopped. There was no work to be done, and he wasn't getting any hours. Now my husband is in the agnozing limbo of being technically employed but not having a job. His line of work... heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)... is very 'feast or famine', b ut I've never seen a famine period like this. Ever. He's doing it for 11 years and he's never gone 6 weeks without work. The longest period before was 3 weeks, and that was considered bad.
So, we have only my income to live on, which currently isn't much. I was barely paying our insurance permiums, forget food and other bills. We agreed when we got married that my primary occupation was Mom, and any money I made would be suplimental. There was a period, several years ago, where I had to break out my college education and be the primary breadwinner while my husband expanded is own, but again, that was expected. And something we had agreed on. This time it was a surprise.
So, I've been exapnding my portfolio and picking up new writing gigs. It takes time to generate an increase in income when you're a writer. You have to build networks and fan bases for your new gigs. You have to really get involved with your new publisher and learn their moods and demands. Then there's sharpening your skills in your new beat or topic...
I've been writing about food for years. I love cooking, food gardening, etc; plus I home-ec as an after school class to kids in the neighborhood when we lived in Phoenix. The topic was a good fit. Then.
Now, I find myself a bit tired of writing about food and cooking. So, when I was looking for new writing opportunities I decided to take advantage of a standing publisher and ask for a whole new topic. One I've always found exciting, but didn't have the opportunity to give it much attention: promoting what to do in Prescott and the Prescott area, my home town. Now I live here again, and the world is wide open to me. Examiner.com seemed to agree, becasue they gave me a new topic: Prescott Places and Faces Examiner. (click the link and check it out!)
I've only been at it a few days, so I'm still broke, but, I feel like a kid in a candy store. I'm excited about writing periodicals again. I can always write books (my first love), but books take years to come to fruition. Someday I'll be able to live off the money I make from them, but that day is not today. Today periodicals pay the bills. So, periodicals it is.
My goal now? To make enough money to pay mygrandmother back for the new toilets. Back to work with me!
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