Time for some changes
I've always got a little kick out of this statement: "I love my job so much, I would do it for nothing."
Every once in a while you hear this from a professional athlete ... you know, for the love of the game. Then, next season, he holds out for more money.
When you look at it, the concept of loving your job so much that you would do it for nothing is ideal. If your job is your profession, then you should love what you are doing.
But what happens when your job, your profession, what you love to do the most is taken away from you?
Would you do it for nothing?
Suddenly, you realize that when you hear that, whether those words come from a professional athlete, an entertainer or even a sportswriter, it's all a bunch of crock.
For the most part in the last two years, I've been doing what I love, for nothing.
The previous 25 years or so, I was a sportswriter who went to work five days a week, if not more, loving what I did but doing so with the idea that I would be compensated monetarily for what I do.
I was no different than you.
But that leads me to about two years ago when that was all taken away. Not ever dreaming of doing anything else and not wanting to up-root my family, I made the decision that for me to continue to do what I loved and stay in Laramie, I would start my own website, Wyoming Sports.org.
There are just a handful of ways to make a living this way: Charge readers to be on the site, solicit advertising or just ask for donations for the cause.
Charging readers was not an option, nor was begging for donations. That leaves advertising.
In the last two years, I've found some disappointing aspects of seeking advertising. No. 1, I'm not a salesperson. It's just not in my blood. No. 2, the economy hasn't helped. I evidently picked a lousy time to seek advertisers. Just my luck. No. 3, and nothing personal to everyone, but I evidently had this delusional thinking that in my covering local sports throughout the years in Laramie, some of my business-oriented acquaintances would be there for me.
You know, I scratched your back, now it is your turn to scratch mine. Remember all of those stories I did about your athlete son or daughter?
Well, that's my fault. Life doesn't work that way, nor should it.
So now what? I have been told that this kind of venture does take time, and my apparent lack of patience isn't helping. Readership has been steady and improving the last few months, which has been encouraging. But, it comes down to working for nothing, and that is going to have to change.
With that said, I'm taking a little step back. I tried to report on this site like I did as a newspaper reporter. That was a mistake on my part. Just too many years in the business, I guess.
For now, along with my part-time work at KOWB/KCGY, I'm going to have to take a couple other part-time jobs.
I'm not giving up on Wyoming Sports.org. Far from it. I'll still be at the games, to do what I love to do best. That will never change.
But there are going to be some changes. Stay tuned. I've got some different ideas and I'll run them by you soon.
Every once in a while you hear this from a professional athlete ... you know, for the love of the game. Then, next season, he holds out for more money.
When you look at it, the concept of loving your job so much that you would do it for nothing is ideal. If your job is your profession, then you should love what you are doing.
But what happens when your job, your profession, what you love to do the most is taken away from you?
Would you do it for nothing?
Suddenly, you realize that when you hear that, whether those words come from a professional athlete, an entertainer or even a sportswriter, it's all a bunch of crock.
For the most part in the last two years, I've been doing what I love, for nothing.
The previous 25 years or so, I was a sportswriter who went to work five days a week, if not more, loving what I did but doing so with the idea that I would be compensated monetarily for what I do.
I was no different than you.
But that leads me to about two years ago when that was all taken away. Not ever dreaming of doing anything else and not wanting to up-root my family, I made the decision that for me to continue to do what I loved and stay in Laramie, I would start my own website, Wyoming Sports.org.
There are just a handful of ways to make a living this way: Charge readers to be on the site, solicit advertising or just ask for donations for the cause.
Charging readers was not an option, nor was begging for donations. That leaves advertising.
In the last two years, I've found some disappointing aspects of seeking advertising. No. 1, I'm not a salesperson. It's just not in my blood. No. 2, the economy hasn't helped. I evidently picked a lousy time to seek advertisers. Just my luck. No. 3, and nothing personal to everyone, but I evidently had this delusional thinking that in my covering local sports throughout the years in Laramie, some of my business-oriented acquaintances would be there for me.
You know, I scratched your back, now it is your turn to scratch mine. Remember all of those stories I did about your athlete son or daughter?
Well, that's my fault. Life doesn't work that way, nor should it.
So now what? I have been told that this kind of venture does take time, and my apparent lack of patience isn't helping. Readership has been steady and improving the last few months, which has been encouraging. But, it comes down to working for nothing, and that is going to have to change.
With that said, I'm taking a little step back. I tried to report on this site like I did as a newspaper reporter. That was a mistake on my part. Just too many years in the business, I guess.
For now, along with my part-time work at KOWB/KCGY, I'm going to have to take a couple other part-time jobs.
I'm not giving up on Wyoming Sports.org. Far from it. I'll still be at the games, to do what I love to do best. That will never change.
But there are going to be some changes. Stay tuned. I've got some different ideas and I'll run them by you soon.
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