Once More, With Feeling
Well, my friends, it's official: After months of doing my darndest to ward off the inevitable, THE ROOF IS ON FIRE.
I'm dead serious.
You all know -- or you should know -- that Rock's Rule #1 is that "If you don't love doing it, it ain't worth doing." Which leads to Rock's Rule #2: "If you love doing it, SPARE NOTHING." The people around me know that I'm usually religious at following these... Religious to the point of zealotry, that is....
It's a magic moment in life to be able to finally rise above the fear, the insecurity, the anxieties of consequence and throw caution to the winds in the name of following the dream. It took me a long time to get over my timidity (SURPRISE!) and actually do that -- well, professionally speaking at least -- and the risk has been a blessed experience beyond all compare. I can say in all honesty that I have loved every moment of this, and I leave it to everyone's judgment whether I have, indeed, spared nothing in the service of this work.
But I've always said that I would be unable to keep this blog going for free forever, and as much as I've tried to keep hanging on, keep pushing, keep sacrificing, and keep sparing nothing to make the dream work, the toll of late and its expense has been such that, in all likelihood, I'll soon have to make good on that promise to myself, because the struggle has just become too much to bear. From the start, I've always said that I had no books to hawk or CDs to sell or any of that -- it's just me and my boatload of knowledge and ideas, that's all. And, judging by a good bit of what I hear, I sometimes wonder if that alone is good enough for the great big world out there.
I really do.
My inner idealist has had to face in recent days the very painful reality that, um, survival is a necessity. (SURPRISE!) And as much as I love breaking the hot stories before all others and keeping an incredible audience looped in on all the quality buzz I can wrap my (not so big) ears around, the state of things as they are is impossible to hold any longer -- getting sued for all the bills I've been sitting on as long as possible to keep this going at full speed in the hope of something solvent which has not come to pass can snap one back into reality quite quickly.
That said, the future of this outlet rests solely in the hands of each and every one of you.
After mostly getting ignored (yet still marching forth!) every time I've asked for support in the past, and after wearing myself down over this past weekend dreading a return to the rat race of doing PR for strip malls (don't start me), I'm making one last appeal to everyone -- please help me out. Donations, leads, any glimmer of hope that would mean not worrying -- or, rather, less worrying -- about staying afloat and taking care of my obligations. I know that many who love coming here all the time have contacts in relevant places -- use them. Some who love coming here all the time even work at those relevant places (hmm-hmm...). Well, whoever you are, whatever you do, if you really love what you see, help me out, spread the word and make the magic happen.
Here's a stat: Of the 1,500 readers who show up here on an average weekday, ten (10) overall have been so kind as to lend a hand so far and have kept me going to this point. You know who you are, and you've got all my heartfelt thanks for making the ride possible.
But, to the other 1,490 -- can we do this, or is it finished? Tell me.
In an ideal world, I could go on forever without changing a thing (driving the Fifth Floors of the World permanently nuts). But unless "The Other 1,490" throw down and make some magic happen, I can't (and the Fifth Floors will breathe sighs of relief). I'll stretch myself and keep going for another two workweeks -- to the 23rd. What happens from there depends on the response.
Please know this: I wish I didn't have to have such a horribly jaded mindset, but I know these writings are being widely enjoyed, I know they're seen as informative and useful -- and it really seems that they're worth something more than the constant panic of their struggling author. (And believe me, I am not my own biggest fan. Not by any stretch....)
Tell me, my Other 1,490 darling snowflakes: Is it finished?
It's your call. Make some magic happen and surprise me. Drop me a line, drop some coins in the guitar case. Tell me.
A world of thanks in advance.
-30-
I'm dead serious.
You all know -- or you should know -- that Rock's Rule #1 is that "If you don't love doing it, it ain't worth doing." Which leads to Rock's Rule #2: "If you love doing it, SPARE NOTHING." The people around me know that I'm usually religious at following these... Religious to the point of zealotry, that is....
It's a magic moment in life to be able to finally rise above the fear, the insecurity, the anxieties of consequence and throw caution to the winds in the name of following the dream. It took me a long time to get over my timidity (SURPRISE!) and actually do that -- well, professionally speaking at least -- and the risk has been a blessed experience beyond all compare. I can say in all honesty that I have loved every moment of this, and I leave it to everyone's judgment whether I have, indeed, spared nothing in the service of this work.
But I've always said that I would be unable to keep this blog going for free forever, and as much as I've tried to keep hanging on, keep pushing, keep sacrificing, and keep sparing nothing to make the dream work, the toll of late and its expense has been such that, in all likelihood, I'll soon have to make good on that promise to myself, because the struggle has just become too much to bear. From the start, I've always said that I had no books to hawk or CDs to sell or any of that -- it's just me and my boatload of knowledge and ideas, that's all. And, judging by a good bit of what I hear, I sometimes wonder if that alone is good enough for the great big world out there.
I really do.
My inner idealist has had to face in recent days the very painful reality that, um, survival is a necessity. (SURPRISE!) And as much as I love breaking the hot stories before all others and keeping an incredible audience looped in on all the quality buzz I can wrap my (not so big) ears around, the state of things as they are is impossible to hold any longer -- getting sued for all the bills I've been sitting on as long as possible to keep this going at full speed in the hope of something solvent which has not come to pass can snap one back into reality quite quickly.
That said, the future of this outlet rests solely in the hands of each and every one of you.
After mostly getting ignored (yet still marching forth!) every time I've asked for support in the past, and after wearing myself down over this past weekend dreading a return to the rat race of doing PR for strip malls (don't start me), I'm making one last appeal to everyone -- please help me out. Donations, leads, any glimmer of hope that would mean not worrying -- or, rather, less worrying -- about staying afloat and taking care of my obligations. I know that many who love coming here all the time have contacts in relevant places -- use them. Some who love coming here all the time even work at those relevant places (hmm-hmm...). Well, whoever you are, whatever you do, if you really love what you see, help me out, spread the word and make the magic happen.
Here's a stat: Of the 1,500 readers who show up here on an average weekday, ten (10) overall have been so kind as to lend a hand so far and have kept me going to this point. You know who you are, and you've got all my heartfelt thanks for making the ride possible.
But, to the other 1,490 -- can we do this, or is it finished? Tell me.
In an ideal world, I could go on forever without changing a thing (driving the Fifth Floors of the World permanently nuts). But unless "The Other 1,490" throw down and make some magic happen, I can't (and the Fifth Floors will breathe sighs of relief). I'll stretch myself and keep going for another two workweeks -- to the 23rd. What happens from there depends on the response.
Please know this: I wish I didn't have to have such a horribly jaded mindset, but I know these writings are being widely enjoyed, I know they're seen as informative and useful -- and it really seems that they're worth something more than the constant panic of their struggling author. (And believe me, I am not my own biggest fan. Not by any stretch....)
Tell me, my Other 1,490 darling snowflakes: Is it finished?
It's your call. Make some magic happen and surprise me. Drop me a line, drop some coins in the guitar case. Tell me.
A world of thanks in advance.
-30-
posted by Rocco Palmo at 04:14
3 Comments:
Hold on until the supposedly "big curial shakeup."
Back to the subject at hand--
Rocco, I am in the same leaky boat as you; I am looking for employment as well. Clicking on PayPal is not an option for me (and don't anyone dare quote me James). All I can throw into the guitar case is some encouragement.
I am one of the "Other 1,490". Unlike a previous commentor, while I am still figuring out your writing style, I do see raw talent here. I don't know how challenging it is to find a gig in your line of work, but your 'blog should be enough of a portfolio for you to show a prospective employer. I hope you are doing all you can in the job search.
I appreciate your Rules. I applaud you for following them wholeheartedly. Passion for what you do is wonderful; you will go far with it.
The road to your dream job is full of detours, dead ends, and other short routes. When you get to the end of that journey, you should be able to look back and say, "I needed to be there, and there, and there." That big picture will come into place only then.
I never want to see people's dreams die. I would rather promote success. And I do wish that for you.
My spiritual work of mercy for the day. God bless you.
The Observationalist: My comment was about the person and what he wants in his life, not necessarily about his 'blog. ("All I can throw into the guitar case is some encouragement.") I still reserve my opinion on Rocco's opinions because "I am still figuring out (his) writitng style."
My penultimate paragraph stands.
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