Friday, September 30, 2011

Give a Portion of Thyself- Freelance is like Baseball


"The greatest gift is a portion of thyself. "
~Ralph Waldo Emerson


I wish I could send you the pampering perfume of the Enfleurage soy candle by Archipelago Botanicals. A blended bouquet of French Jasmine, Lily of the Valley and Rose will glow for a good 60 hours.  The hand-poured mossy green soy wax is displayed in its own  apothecary-style jar with a lid to turn the flame off without a smokey smudge.


Once the candle is finished, the container will be polished and reused as an elegant container for gift giving. Imagine the lidded jar holding candies or sea shells. Perhaps an elegantly old fashioned label printed proclaiming its new use as a holder of homemade bath salts.



The window was my first stained glass project. My husband bought me the equipment for Christmas and the family paid for a class through Diamond Bar Parks and Recreation.  In turn, their gift to me was returned to them through this window that we have all enjoyed.
My next project is a bass Tiffany style lamp. Pattern by Worden, next week the glass will be hand selected. Not just for color, but for how texture and light reflecting qualities.



More  than task lighting, the glass shade is an artistic statement that reflects our mutual love of the outdoors.  When it is finished, it will be my gift to husband. It will be the statement piece as we transform a long-abandoned bedroom into his new study.

This week it was announced  by Patch.com that freelance writers are still welcome to submit- but we will not be paid. I do not know if this is regional or national. I did expect that for better or worse, Arriana Huffington's 300+ million dollar payday would affect the operations of what is a young start up company. The only questions were how, when and whom. Time will tell if the decision to target assets to her expertise were well advised of not.
Image from Huffington family Christmas card before her then husband's Senate run

I wish the best for Patch.com. As a writer, you were sweet as a summer romance. Lovely while it lasted, and while the breakup may be bittersweet, I will remain glad for our time together.  

I hurt for the editors who got to pass on the change in policy towards freelance compensation. Writers do have an inclination to wonder why such a matter was not covered by some US Civil War 1865 proclamation.  My position is, better to be in my shoes than the editor's. The workload of an editor can be summed up like this

When I was a community editor, I always thanked God.  First for being called to the position. Then that it was to a monthly publication, not a daily one):-

To young aspiring writers everywhere- make peace with the following. Like professional baseball players, the best batting average is below 500. You will not be paid well for being well-rounded.  You will be paid for perhaps how you perform only 1 skill set- but that one thing you do must better than any other living person.

If you are up learning that stumbles are character building events to be thankful for, then go for it. Be a writer. There is nothing more professionally uplifting than falling in love with your topic and then having people remember what you wrote.  

A good story is a gift that keeps on giving.


Local Readers- Bar- the Enfleurage soy candle by Archipelago Botanicals is available at D&D Interiors, 514 N Diamond Bar Blvd # G , Diamond Bar , CA 91765

909-598-1219 for hours or more information

8 comments:

  1. I so like your idea of recycling the lidded candle container. Good one!
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want one of those Candles Lydia---And I LOVE the idea that the Lidded Jar can then be used for something else and "gifted" to someone else, too!

    Follow your bliss, as they say. You MUST write, if you MUST WRITE! As with anything else one does that comes from the soul---It's not about the money--Yes, it is great if that happens, but....More Important: Live Out Your Dreams.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Sue and Naomi- The jars are so beautiful I almost wish the candles burned faster):-

    We're all old enough to see poor men become rich and rich men become poor. It is right to remember that money comes and goes- but a soul should last forever. We should find what the Lord's purpose, and trust the bills will be paid by our endeavors.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lydia,

    I will certainly miss your writings for The Patch. I always enjoyed your article becausre I could relate. They had to do with our lovely little part of the world, Diamond Bar.

    I will count on you to be "there" for comments on other articles.

    You know I love all your stained glass windows. They are a work of art and beauty! You are one talented lady!
    Hugs, Trisha

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good Morning, Trisha!

    Thank you for the kind words to start the day with. Good fortune was with this year's receivables. I had a LARGE writing project that was put off. NOW I can get back to it):-

    Since the day they first published, Patch has been an asset to Diamond Bar. My work for them was definitely more about my love of Diamond Bar than about the money.

    My hope is this change in the Patch business plan is not a precursor to finding they were under-funded or spread too far too fast to build the market to survive.

    Patch has covered Diamond Bar like no one else has. Ever. To have been part of that effort is something to be proud of.

    On to the next adventure.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Abby is darling...takes after you? I bet you rock a black dress, too :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. CCH- Mary Ann- Abby is niece on husband's side.
    Her dad is 6'6" - her mom has the most beautiful cheekbones in the history of the world. How could the camera not love their offspring?
    I wish I rocked black. Or any neutral shade. Livelier colors love me better):-

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your stained glass window is positively beautiful!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are encouraging blessings! Please send your thoughts- unless you look like a robot, in which case you'll be ignored.