One thing we can thank the internet for is the ultimate destruction of writing and journalism as actual paying professions. That’s right. I said it. The internet, with it’s oh so easy to use spread-ability, killed any hope we up-and-coming writers had at getting a paycheck. I know this because I used to be one of those who dreamed of making it big someday (and collecting a check). And while I have collected checks for writing in the past, those days are long gone.
With that said, it makes it hard to get attached to a particular blogger because they can bounce at any second without notice or warning. The word ‘blogger’ even seems venomous when mentioning it in the wrong circles – especially around so-called ‘professionals’. We are here out of boredom, failure, frustration, and overall, we’re here to entertain our few readers. We don’t care about having an audience of millions. But every once in a while, it brings about its own sense of frustration, failure, and sometimes, the dreaded boredom. So comes the point of this rant.
I’ve come to know many fine bloggers in the WordPress community that I find myself reading daily, before I hit real money-making blogs like Cinematical and such. Hell, I even come here before I hit CNN in the morning. That’s just how I roll. Click on any link in my blogroll and you’ll know what’s up. And you fine people know who you are too.
But one of the preciouses has gone missing – vanished without a trace. That Pessimist was a man of few words and much anger. He makes fun of stuff; something I do on a daily basis. He even drew pictures with Microsoft Paint, the program I learned my skills on. And his skills were getting better and better.
It’s been about 3 months since he last updated his site or commented somewhere. This is something that happens often though. So here is to you, TP, may your anger continue onward long past this wacky binary world we’re living in.
The Juggling Cowboy (3/2008)
Pessimist update: I contacted him on his blog recently and I was like “where you and all your pessimism at? We be missing you!”…and then he came by my blog and told me he’s doing all these job interviews and such around the northeastern US, but that he IS planning a return to Pessism in the near future…hurrah!! So stay tuned :-)
PS: I know it’s sad when they up and disappear, but at least this story will have a happy conclusion! :-)
Man Romi, you’re like the ultimate pimp. You always know where your bitches are.
hahaha…it’s funny ’cause it’s true!!!!…nobody be messin’ with MY ‘ho’s!!!
;-)
Yes that is sad. I started coming here alot more, after the guy doing Slam Dizzle stopped.
Romi: Yeah, whenever I run into trouble, I flash my Romi pimp card. Bitches be backin’ da fuck up.
Kerplar: Me a replacement for Slam Dizzle? I am sort of honored by that but I know his posts were so much more enriching (and hot).
You wanna know what’s funny about paid criticism becoming obsolete? (Okay, nothing, but play along.) Last night, I was at my shitty temp proofreading job, and some of the other timesheet slaves there were commenting soberly that our field is drying up. The irony is twofold: I got into this gig a mere month ago in an attempt to find SOME way to get paid for my skill set now that being a professional reviewer has gone the way of the dodo. And as I had just been commenting to an old friend, the reason I had gotten into journalism in the first place was that it seemed more secure than my first choice, music.
My resume reads like the career-planning equivalent of a rousing game of Whac-a-Mole.
Steve: Yeah, but your resume has WAY more cred than mine does. Remember: you used to be one of those guys who got paid to do that shit. And you didn’t just write criticism either. You did it all. You kept it afloat my man. Now they are a sinking ship (in some aspects anyway). Regardless, my yearn to seek $ for my words is pretty much dead.
They say, “Those who can’t do, teach.” It’s a good thing I am certified to teach then, eh?
Writers published in magazines or newspapers of the last ten to twenty years had their start not just in a pre-Net dominant world, but also in one that didn’t necessarily require a college degree, a graduate degree, or 5 years experience.
You sent your writing–whatever writing, previously published or not–everywhere it could go and if someone liked your style, they gave you a chance. Or you knew someone who knew someone.
But now? Not only is print journalism a dying field (especially in the popular arts and entertainment sector), but you’ve got to have all this experience…and even if you are published, something i still gonna get in the way.
He never came back, did he Romi?
Oh man… i will continue my blogging ASAP… for short durations. but i will.. thank you for this.