I’ve just returned from a cool and beautiful vacation in Montana. I spent my time sitting by a roaring stream in the mountains just thinking about it all. It was great to take a break and think about the unique choices I have made in the past few years to replace my previous profession as an academic librarian.
Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to respond to my post about my frustrations with blogging, and the assumption that everything should be free on the internet. Your encouragement is greatly appreciated.
I still haven’t decided what’s next for me but, keeping with the true spirit of a midlife crisis, I would like to try something completely different this time. Every time I change, I feel like I dig down a little bit deeper to try and discover the real me.
At first I thought being a writer was the solution to my quandary, and that has been a wonderful adventure for me. I have learned so much about myself and made some amazing friends in the writing world. I know now I will always be a writer and editor. I am naturally inquisitive and love learning more about most subjects, just like a librarian. That is a large part of who I am. But wait, there’s more!
Finding out more about who I am is one of my favorite past times. I know now that it is never as obvious as you might expect. We need to keep investigating on deeper and deeper levels to be certain we have become the person we are inside!
“I’ve found the truest paths always lead through mountains.”
- Kate Wolf (1942-1986) in “An Unfinished Life”
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thought-provoking post, as usual. I’m one of your “balcony people” who is always applauding your successes and encouraging you through rough spots. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next! I have faith in you; you will find a way to live your passion and make a living.
“Finding out more about who I am is one of my favorite past times.” Thanks for putting into words what I’ve been doing for the past 50+ years!
Hello from beautiful rainy and cool Payson, AZ, Rim Country and home to the Payson Web blogger and resident social media nut in a small town, me, Dick Schaefer.
First, you are too good a writer to give up blogging, besides, you need it just like I do, it will become who you are when you stop worrying about monetizing it. Just think about making it the best you can be for your readers and the money will come.
Second, you have to pay your dues, 3 years is nothing, unless you have a staff of writers, it’s just you doing this, have patience.Over the past 5 years I have developed a network of blogs, self-hosted (9), hosted (30), 45 parking pages, a link directory, a website, 3 Amazon Associate O Matic stores, I have over 60 Twitter accounts, a huge Flickr photostream, I have posted 20 or more videos to YouTube, guest posted, I am a comment addict and I am still making CHUMP CHANGE
But that’s ok, I am a patient man and my goal was to be making $1000.00 per month by the time I was able to collect a social security check. I am less than halfway there after almost 5 years of blogging and I am about to turn 61 but I feel that any moment I can turn the corner on that depressing statistic.
I do not say this to discourage you, keep going! When you figure out the Google formula for making money online you will be on your way. Hint: inbound links= pagerank – end of story!