How can you tell if there is true harmony and
balance in your life? I used to ask that of myself often. I wondered how I
would know if I had reached the zenith of balance and harmony in my life. I
began to realize there is no zenith. It's a constant struggle to keep things
balanced, so where is the harmony. The simple fact is that it is what we make
it to be. What is for us may not be for others. So there is no real answer
anyone can give but to themselves.
The creative process and the new World of Freelance. The Reluctant Editor. Featuring articles, essays, freelancing news and updates, editorials, and guest writers.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Thursday, May 8, 2014
My life, as lived by Kutcher's Law—By: Melissa Van Hoorne
I awake every morning and repeat
Audrey Hepburn's quote as a quiet mantra: “Nothing is impossible: the word
itself says I'm possible!”, otherwise, my day isn't quite the same. I created
my magazine, This Freelancer Life (Shameless plug – thisfreelancerlife.com), because it is a life full of possibilities and, to
my surprise, expressing these possibilities has become very popular with other
freelancers! I can't say I'm surprised at the success due to the lack of
content in the marketplace relating to the everyday freelancer, but I remain
humbled by it nonetheless. I never, ever take anything for granted.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Criticism: The Door to Self-Improvement
Most people hate criticism. We feel personally attacked if
someone gives us an honest opinion and it's not the opinion we hoped for. We
have done our absolute best at something and want recognition for our accomplishments.
We are hurt if anyone finds fault or points out something from a different
perspective. Even if somewhere inside us we secretly agree, it is instinct to
protect our hard work and so we puff up our egos to sow disdain in their
criticism. "Who are they to judge us?" we ask ourselves; when we
probably asked for their opinion is the first place. They veered from the
script we had intended to hear from them, and we are not amused.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Motivated Against My Will
Sometimes motivation
is expected of us, before being asked if we want to be motivated in the first
place. People assume we will be over the moon about something, when we haven't
had the time to contemplate any possible interest. Other times there are tasks
we need to tackle that makes burning at the stake seem more attractive. Such is
life, full of surprise and mystery and the mundane. Who really wants to clean
out the rain gutters on a sunny, Saturday afternoon...not me, but it might be the
only free time I have to get it done, so I do it. I try to think of what
enjoyable activity I may have to look forward to later.
Working From Home: Julia's Story
What follows is a
fictional account based on interviews and comments submitted by actual people
who were, or are currently working from home. Any similarities between the
character, Julia, and any other living person are strictly accidental. Julia is
a composite created to observe a hypothetical, work from home, scenario.
Julia is thirty-two.
She graduated high school then attended a local community college. Julia
finished college in 1998, with an AA in psychology, fully intending to follow a
career in social work. However, finding the entry-level job market slim in her
community, Julia winds up waiting tables at a local pub for tips, where she
meets her current husband. After dating a few years, they are married in 2003.
In early 2005, she gives birth to their first child. Julia waited tables up
until three weeks of her due date before taking maternity leave. Money was
tight for the growing family; dreams of being a social worker seemed to be
slipping away from her.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Journalists Code Of Ethics
Seek Truth and
Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
— Test the accuracy of information from all
sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is
never permissible.
— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
— Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
— Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
— Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
— Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
— Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
— Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
— Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
— Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
— Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
— Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
— Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
— Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
— Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
— Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
Do a Dollop of Daisy!
Okay, I know
it doesn't make any sense, but I just have to let it flow. When I draw a blank,
and can’t come up with anything to say, I stop thinking. Then I type the first
thing that pops into my head. Obviously, the first installment on my new site means
a lot to me. First impressions are everything—hence, the title, “Do a Dollop of
Daisy.”
I realize
you’re confused and probably wondering why you should continue to read on. I will
bring it all together for you by the end of the next paragraph, I promise. Thank
you for bearing with m—I am a freelancer, you know. We are quite a different
lot of people.
There’s this
“thing” about me. I don’t know what you’d call it. I am frozen. My brain won’t
function until I can push past this “thing.” Most of what is pulsing through my
thoughts right now is jingles, and pieces of goofy songs. Why does this happen?
I’m going to call it, FASP (First Article Syndrome Paralysis).
What would you do, for a Klondike bar? I would
write this crappy first piece, so I can move onto the next (not crappy piece). That
way, number one is behind me. I can focus, and FASP can have no effect on my
ability to function. So, please don’t judge me by this dollop. The upcoming
editorial is going to be a daisy.
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