“I love my work, I love the people I work with, I do the best I can.” ~Mandy Patinkin
I consider myself really lucky every single day. Not only do I have three healthy kids, a wonderful husband and many good friends and some close extended family, but I also have the luxury of getting paid to do what I love.
That doesn’t mean I don’t work hard–I do. In fact, I probably work more hours than you’d expect. But I get to work from home, most of the time, and again–I get paid to do what I love, so it doesn’t (always) feel like work.
Anyway, since I’m so busy doing what I love (including my work and taking care of my family), it’s been awhile since I’ve updated here.
So, here’s what I’ve been up to lately.
- Patch.com–As I’ve mentioned before, I was previously a freelance reporter and fill-in editor for 24 Patch.com sites in the St. Louis area, but I was brought on as a full-time reporter in November of last year. The job is going very well, and while it keeps me busy, I’m really happy to be a part of the team. I’m currently working on a small business series that is running in various incarnations on several sites, among many other things. Here’s one of the most recent editions. I’m also doing a weekly “Patch Picks” column for three sites, several other weekly columns for a number of sites and more. And I do various features and news stories each week as well. Here are some examples on the St. Charles site. I’m still loving working with Patch, and I especially love that I’m part of a great group of journalists working together to produce hyper-local news.
- Scrubs & Suits–I’m still happy to be the managing editor at ScrubsandSuits.com. We are in the process of growing the site, and we’ve got a lot of exciting things in store. We are excited to be bringing a new person to our staff, so stay tuned for that news! And be sure to check out my editor’s blog at the S&S site.
- The WM Freelance Writers Connection–The WMF site is thriving. We’ve recently added a new section called Tools for Success, in which we are sharing learning tools we’ve found useful in our careers. Plus, our subscribers and site traffic is increasing every day. Our LinkedIn group for freelance writers has nearly 2,600 actively engaged members (!!!) at the moment, and our Facebook page has more than 800 likes. Speaking of Facebook, we recently added a new feature–Facebook fan of the week. Our Twitter account has close to 1,200 followers. Oh, and I’ve even managed to squeeze in a few new posts lately. You can check them out here, and while you’re at it, don’t miss the latest in our guest posts section. (If you’d like to join the ranks of WMF guest posters, check out our recently posted submission guidelines.
- In Pursuit of Fulfillment–All is well with In Pursuit of Fulfillment, my personal development site. I’m working on posting more regularly and have big plans for the site in the near future. You can still get a free copy of my ebook, On Creating Personal Change, when you subscribe to the site (also free, for the record). I’ve had a lot of really great guest posts, and I’ve even posted a few new ones myself. And I’m always looking for new blood, so if you’re interested in guest posting, check out my submission guidelines.
- The WM Network–The network is in transition. We’ve got a big new project coming up, and we think our readers are going to LOVE it! Be sure to stay tuned for the big news. It’ll be coming in the next few weeks.
In other news…
- I’m very close to meeting an incredible goal. This is one more secret I’ll have to keep for now, but in the meantime, I’ll tell you one little bit of it: when I meet this goal, there will be a book that will explain it all. My hope is to help others reach such a goal. That’s all I can give you on that, for now, but keep an eye out for an announcement in the next couple of months with more details.
- I’d like to offer kudos to one of my Patch.com colleagues, Creve Coeur Patch editor Gregg Palermo. Gregg will be co-hosting a candidate forum in his “patch” on Thursday. This is kind of a big deal, if you ask me, and I’m excited that Gregg and his Patch have such a great opportunity to play such an important role in his community.
- Speaking of Patch, if you own a business in the St. Louis area, don’t forget to claim your business listing on the Patch site nearest you. It’s free!
- Unrelated to my writing: my four year old daughter recently got glasses. I had her eyes checked just because the rest of the family was having it done, and honestly didn’t expect to hear anything was wrong, considering that her pediatrician had given her flying colors on the in-office test she’d taken awhile back. When I learned she really needed glasses from our eye doc, I cried a little, because I wished I’d have known sooner. Still, I’m glad we found out this early. She is now doing great with them, and we even secured a backup pair so she won’t have to go without. But a tip for parents of little ones: the eye tests the pediatrician gives won’t tell you if your child needs glasses or not, only if they can see very basic things. My daughter has a pretty hefty prescription now, even though the pediatrician’s test found that her eyesight was just fine. So, if you have any doubt at all (and believe me, I didn’t), get your child’s eyes checked by an optometrist. It can’t hurt.
That’s all I’ve got for now. All in all, life is good, work is good and the family is well. I can’t complain even a little bit. Here’s to taking it to the next level! I’ll be back soon with another update. 🙂
