Category: Uncategorized

I love living in the forest, but the cost to do so has risen recently. With all the recent wildfires throughout the state, many have lost their homeowner’s insurance and had to depend on the state’s fair plan. Luckily, we are still under our regular insurance, but our premiums have risen steadily. Still not as bad as I’m hearing some people pay, but along with all the other increases, it has led me to look for some extra income.

I have always been open to doing freelance work as a writer. I know some options are fading away with AI, but I still thought I’d try a couple of popular job sites. I reworked my resume, and my daughter polished it up for me. Next, I researched where a writer could earn some extra income and found a couple of websites to get started.

I went in with an open mind and was looking for part-time jobs that used skills I’ve learned over the years as a writer. My focus was on beta reading, proofreading, writing blogs, and even being a virtual assistant. I decided on a website that didn’t charge as much and was recommended for writers. Seemed simple, I created a page and got to looking. Not open to paying a monthly fee, I had an option to purchase something like points to apply for jobs instead of paying the monthly fee.

I got right on that, reading the job posts, qualifications, and applying. Soon, I got an interview via Zoom. Here’s where I found out the job descriptions don’t match what they really wanted. Basically, it was a job to review websites. Never got an answer to whether I could write my own reviews or if it was provided. I was told I was overqualified, and I should watch for when they needed virtual office assistance or writers.

The next reply I got was from a woman who basically wanted the same thing. She asked me to screenshot that I had an Amazon account, which I didn’t. Then she wanted me to post reviews she had written for her books…I told her I would not do that. She did not like my answer. These are the people who make us look bad on Amazon.

Then I saw a job where I could take pictures of their products. I could do that in the forest. Good fit, huh? No, they wanted me to buy their products; they couldn’t send them for some reason I didn’t understand. But they would reimburse me for the purchase and my time, later. That was another no thank you.

Yet, I kept trying. I avoided what I now recognized as pay-for-review jobs and buy-and-review jobs. Next, I was approached for a job to talk for two hours and record it. The company claimed they needed to train their AI in cars with my accent.  That didn’t appeal to me either. Plus, my writer’s mind was suspicious about what they were really doing with that recording.

The proofreading jobs or beta readers were still sounding promising, but looking deeper into them, they wanted not only someone to beta read but also to edit it too. One person wanted it done in a day…lol A few of these I didn’t hear back from, probably because I wasn’t willing to work for way under minimum wage.

What was left? Writing blog posts. One seemed like a fit, but getting deeper into this one, they wanted a person to write a set weekly amount of blogs that would have to be researched, which would mean doing about ten a day. This was for Facebook. I’m not a fast writer, and I take research seriously. With that job, they offered bonuses for a certain number of likes your post got, and the pay was decent. I didn’t want to put that kind of time into a part-time job, so I moved on.

Still having some points to use, I applied for a job that required me to have a pet to test toys on. When filling out the paperwork, they asked if I had an issue with electric shock toys for my cats. Yes, in fact I do.

So my venture into job websites didn’t go as I had hoped. I will do it the old-fashioned way, by going directly to websites or applying in person. I had heard from my kids that online jobs were almost impossible to get. They have had to find them in person.

Lesson learned. Now I look at any review even more critically. Those posts on Facebook I already knew were for likes, even historical ones, but it was worse than I thought. They even allowed AI posts.  I won’t be posting fake reviews, or buying some strange person’s produce, or talking for two hours for pay. And guess what, you have to earn reviews at the job website, so you even get looked at by the so-called better jobs. They recommend you start with these jobs.

A very eye-opening and strange experience for me. They seem not to be looking for experience but people to take advantage of.

NOTE: I will be off next week on vacation 🙂 Be back on April 14th with my Book Reviews.

Now on to my heart-shaped rock collection!

Embrace your inner child by collecting rocks! D. L. Finn (Denise)

It’s been almost eleven years since I self-published my first book, “Elizabeth’s War,” and there’s an interesting story behind it. This is also the first time Friday the 13th falls in February, just like eleven years ago!

Here’s the post from five years ago telling the story of what seemed like bad luck wasn’t.

It was late at night in February on Friday the 13th. My bedroom was heavy with the chill of a snowy day. I had finished reading for the night and made one last bathroom trip. As I jumped out of bed, my feet hit the cold hardwood floor. That sent me rushing through the icy room without watching where I was going. As I crossed over the bear throw rug, my left foot caught on our twenty-pound black cat, Coco. He had made it a habit to lie on top of the bear on the rug, blending in.

In what felt like slow motion movie, the cat didn’t move, but I did. My weight shifted, trying to counterbalance, and I reached out to the dresser but missed. At that moment, I knew I was going down. So, I twisted in an attempt not to land on top of the cat, who has a lot of trust in me that I won’t hurt him. That’s when I heard a loud snap and hit the ground.

Now, next to Coco, I found the only thing that hurt was my foot. Through this event, my husband was still peacefully sleeping. After several painful tries to get up, I finally called out for help.

“Why are you lying on the ground? You should get up and sleep in the bed.” My groggy husband replied.

It took him a few moments to realize that I couldn’t get up and was hurt. Once he uprighted me, I hopped on one foot to complete my task. Each jump jarred my foot painfully.

Not wanting to go to the hospital in the middle of the night, I slept with a fortress of pillows protecting my injured foot.

I didn’t sleep much.

The next morning was Valentine’s Day. The special day was spent in the ER. Sharing my story kept the hospital staff amused. My husband never left my side and reassured me that it didn’t matter where we were, if we were together. He had a good point.

Later, I left on crutches and rested through the weekend. As the days went by, I found I had too much time on my hands. I tried to fill it with TV shows, but I realized I needed something to do.

That’s when a family member suggested I publish one of my children’s books.

With all this new time on my hands, I did a lot of research. Finally, I was ready to push that button. I was published.

Once I released that first book, I haven’t stopped. I kept going forward into the writing world.

So, happy eleventh anniversary to the time I tripped over our black cat on Friday the 13th and broke my foot. What appeared to be a bad event ultimately opened the door to a whole new world for me.

NOTE:  Coco is going to be thirteen this year. Luckily, Friday the thirteenth and the number have been lucky for me, including getting engaged on it.

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn (Denise)

Hi! Welcome to Staci Troilo’s Fifth Annual Cookie Exchange! I’m thrilled to participate again. This year, I will be doing a gluten-free Thumb Cookie.

Here’s the site I found the recipe at: LINK

Gluten-Free Almond Thumb Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely ground almond flour, packed (I used Trader Joe’s blanched finely ground almond flour)
• 3 Tablespoons ghee, softened butter, or vegan butter (Earth Balance suggested for vegan, I’m using butter)
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons jam, homemade or store-bought ( I used mango jam, I thought it was peach. I didn’t have my glasses on, but it’s a good choice too!)

Before I announce the winners, I want to give one more special thanks to all my hosts!  I appreciate you 🙂 I decided to add the book I featured here during the tour to my indie shelf, which has my Christmas town right now. I put the books amongst the gifts under the tree for their photo shoot. Books make great presents!

Here are the Blog Tour Winners:

$5 Amazon Gift Card: From Lauren Scott’s Post: Priscilla Bettis

$10 Amazon Gift Card: From John Howell’s Post: Sandra Cox

$15 Amazon Gift Card: From D. Wallace Peach’s Post: Terri Webster Schrandt

Today is hubby’s birthday, so I closed the comments. Will be back with Creative Perspective Challenge tomorrow. Plus, I have two other blog posts you won’t want to miss this week!

Here are the amazing results for Creative Perspective Challenge Eleven!

1. Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene: LINK

This beautiful poem is from Priscilla Bettis

Morning hush

is the hymn of the forest cathedral.

Gold and yellow aspen leaves murmur Matins,

And the manna of dew forms on the trail.

I drove my car to the trailhead instead of work.

A stray dog found me, is now escorting me

Like a penitent to the confessional.

I have sipped prophecies from styrofoam cups.

I have knelt before the punch clock

And offered my time card as a sacrifice.

A mile in, the dog slows. I am absolved.

We walk back. I palm a Psalm to take to work,

And drop the fur-clad priest at a shelter.

Here is my take on it. A haibun:

THAT FALL AFTERNOON

The cool crisp fall air and the crunch of the blushing leaves stripped away the layers of fear, stress, and regret with each step. All Hank and his lab, Toni had left of more prosperous times was what he carried in the backpack. Oddly enough, Hank felt more peaceful in this moment than he ever had in his days with a well-paying job, expensive car, and beautiful house. They hiked deeper into the forest that he’d barely looked at in years from his gilded estate’s expansive windows. When the inevitable knock came to his door, he wouldn’t be there to answer it. Hank grinned. It was easier than he ever imagined, leaving the golden life behind. It wasn’t worth his soul. A song from his childhood that his mother used to sing to him filled his heart. He sang it loud to the trees with a few well-placed howls thrown in by Toni. Life from now on was going to be an adventure, and the cave he remembered from childhood was just around the corner. Yes, it was going to be okay, wasn’t it?

government collapsed

cruel gangs, the replacement

time to start over

Note: Sorry this is late! I got sidetracked watching a sick grandchild.  She is coming back today, so I may be late in responding. This is one determined virus…