I was ON FIRE when I came back from Mexico, which is probably why my clients and income doubled in August, and then doubled again it's looking like for September.
This is because I witnessed a lot of needs. Now, I am taking philanthropic needs, yes. But I'm also talking about my need to go back, and my (husbands) family's need for a little luxury now and then down there.
Before I can meet other peoples needs, I have to pay my mortgage. I have to get to my writing income goal. Then, I will finally be able to start helping with others needs, and, as I wrote about in my other blog, the very first place I'm going to start is here.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Responsibility
The following poem was published at Democracy Now, and is the work of Grace Paley, who was the poet laureate of both New York and Vermont. I am copy and pasting here, instead of linking, because I really really really think it should be read. So, once again, this poem was published elsewhere on the internet and is the writing of one Grace Paley.
It is the responsibility of society to let the poet be a poet
It is the responsibility of the poet to be a woman
It is the responsibility of the poet to stand on street corners
giving out poems and beautifully written leaflets
also leaflets you can hardly bear to look at
because of the screaming rhetoric
It is the responsibility of the poet to be lazy to hang out and prophesy
It is the responsibility of the poet not to pay war taxes
It is the responsibility of the poet to go in and out of ivory
towers and two-room apartments on Avenue C
and buckwheat fields and army camps
It is the responsibility of the male poet to be a woman
It is the responsibility of the female poet to be a woman
It is the poet's responsibility to speak truth to power as the Quakers sayIt is the poet's responsibility to learn the truth from the powerless
It is the responsibility of the poet to say many times: there is no freedom without justice and this means economic justice and love justice
It is the responsibility of the poet to sing this in all the original and traditional tunes of singing and telling poems
It is the responsibility of the poet to listen to gossip and pass it on in the way storytellers decant the story of life
There is no freedom without fear and bravery there is no freedom unless
earth and air and water continue and children
also continue
It is the responsibility of the poet to be a woman to keep an eye on
this world and cry out like Cassandra, but belistened to this time.
It is the responsibility of society to let the poet be a poet
It is the responsibility of the poet to be a woman
It is the responsibility of the poet to stand on street corners
giving out poems and beautifully written leaflets
also leaflets you can hardly bear to look at
because of the screaming rhetoric
It is the responsibility of the poet to be lazy to hang out and prophesy
It is the responsibility of the poet not to pay war taxes
It is the responsibility of the poet to go in and out of ivory
towers and two-room apartments on Avenue C
and buckwheat fields and army camps
It is the responsibility of the male poet to be a woman
It is the responsibility of the female poet to be a woman
It is the poet's responsibility to speak truth to power as the Quakers sayIt is the poet's responsibility to learn the truth from the powerless
It is the responsibility of the poet to say many times: there is no freedom without justice and this means economic justice and love justice
It is the responsibility of the poet to sing this in all the original and traditional tunes of singing and telling poems
It is the responsibility of the poet to listen to gossip and pass it on in the way storytellers decant the story of life
There is no freedom without fear and bravery there is no freedom unless
earth and air and water continue and children
also continue
It is the responsibility of the poet to be a woman to keep an eye on
this world and cry out like Cassandra, but belistened to this time.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Issues and Vent
Ok, GardenWall is growing!
But while GardenWall is growing, I am attempting to get used to a new keyboard (not good for typists that usually type 120 words a minute!!), dealing with a new school year and schedule, and attempting to catch up from my grueling 17 days training with About.com. . .which started right about when I was almost caught up from out vacation in Mexico.
Which brings me to some HAPPY news: I have been hired to serve as the freelance writing expert at about.com! About.com is a New York Times owned company, and the contract provides great pay and a lot of exposure in the writing world and among freelancers. It is a great honor!
Now, if I can just catch up and take a breath, we could get on to the new season and the new opportunities!
~allena
edited to add: This post is whiny! I am grateful for the success and the opportunities. I have several GREAT contracts, several GREAT clients and an incredible family that is supporting these growing pains. Let's move on:
“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity”
Louis Pasteur
But while GardenWall is growing, I am attempting to get used to a new keyboard (not good for typists that usually type 120 words a minute!!), dealing with a new school year and schedule, and attempting to catch up from my grueling 17 days training with About.com. . .which started right about when I was almost caught up from out vacation in Mexico.
Which brings me to some HAPPY news: I have been hired to serve as the freelance writing expert at about.com! About.com is a New York Times owned company, and the contract provides great pay and a lot of exposure in the writing world and among freelancers. It is a great honor!
Now, if I can just catch up and take a breath, we could get on to the new season and the new opportunities!
~allena
edited to add: This post is whiny! I am grateful for the success and the opportunities. I have several GREAT contracts, several GREAT clients and an incredible family that is supporting these growing pains. Let's move on:
“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity”
Louis Pasteur
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