Rachel Kaufman, freelance reporter » Housekeeping

Here, but not the now

Rachel — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:57:28 +0000

My apologies, readers (all four of you, anyway).

Life, The Universe, and all that are conspiring to put this blog on ice for the time being. As much fun as it is to write, I just don’t have the time…Also, I really want to take some time to seriously think about what I want this blog to do. The formula is lacking something.

With this post I say farewell and goodbye–farewell, of course, meaning simply that I wish you all fare well in my temporary absence, and goodbye being a contracted form of “God be with ye,” but in this case you can take that deity with or without a capital G, as you see fit.

In short, this is not the end. I’ll be back.

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First post of 2008: Goals for the new year

Rachel — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:17:59 +0000

Whether you’re an experienced writer, a freelancer just starting out, a blogger, or a combination of these, you need goals to keep you on track. Write them down, put them in a prominent place, check up on them, whatever. For me, the most crucial part of goalsetting is just thinking about them. What’s realistic for the next year? What’s not? What’s the highest priority and why?

My goals for this blog for the upcoming year are as follows:

I want to continue weekday posting, but I’d like to introduce more series and special events. I’m working on a series right now, actually, that, when finished, should take up a full week’s worth of posts (and I will be SO happy when it’s over).
I want to increase my interaction with the rest of the blogging community. My blogroll is tiny but well-edited; I’d like to grow it, start commenting on others’ posts, and.. (and here we go into number three)
I want to guest blog, and invite guest bloggers here. (Anyone looking for a guest blogging exchange in the upcoming weeks?)
Last, if everything goes well with the blog and the freelance, maybe moving to my own host and domain is in the cards! I don’t know yet, but it should be pretty exciting.

Good luck with your own writing and blogging goals, and once again, happy 2008. (my gosh, is it that time already?)

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Off this week

Rachel — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:00:34 +0000

We’ll be back next Tuesday to ring in the new year. Happy 2008! Related posts:Poetry: The Owl and the Pussycat I. The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea In... Closed two sections this week Phew! And at the risk of sounding whiny, that’s all... First post of 2008: Goals for the new year Whether [...] Related posts:

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Tuesday’s Tools: the anti-edition

Rachel — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:15:08 +0000

I spent all day at the DMV yesterday and all I can think of is the screwdriver I used to swap out my old plates for the new. I am officially registered in Virginia now!

Which means that I bailed on providing any useful information today. Instead, I’m going to open up the floor: What are your favorite writing tools?

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On hiatus

Rachel — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:00:35 +0000

In the Magic Kingdom today and all of next week. Be back on the 19th!

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New blogging endeavor

Rachel — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:06:21 +0000

Just more shameless self-promotion today: I’m blogging with my compatriot, the very talented Chris Combs, over at Scrapple Spring Rolls (a delicious foodstuff). You’ll still get five posts a week here, but if you’re interested in tidbits (the leftovers of the leftovers, if you will) of DC life, bookmark Scrapple Spring Rolls as well.

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New look

Rachel — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:09:41 +0000

Those who aren’t reading this in their RSS feed readers should have noticed some major changes around here already. I’m still tweaking, but I invite everyone to check out the new look and the (I hope) much easier navigation. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. Related posts:Limited Time Offer: Free Resume Critique [...] Related posts:

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Not Dead Yet

Rachel — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:58:23 +0000

I feel like I could go for a walk!

Life has been hectic. Good, but hectic. I have a lot of things planned for this blog and it’s a shame I haven’t been able to get them posted. Stay tuned.

For now, here’s a gorgeous poem I found through a fellow Erie blogger:

Hard Times

I am tired.
So very tired
of making it all fit.

It wears you down,
into a rounded rock
in a dull dumb landscape,
where once was
an exhilarating mountain range,
lush and forested.

Everything, or something like it,
has happened before -
and why bother anyway?

Just to walk away
from the flowers, grass, the seagulls and people,
the tiptoeing, fence-walking cat
in front of that hazy tall-trunked forest
across the grey wide river
as it meets the Tasman tides.

A lovely break at Port Waikato!
with the heat, noise, active flea or two,
and mosquitoes at night -
but most of all
with grief,
my companion with no name,
because grief does not
say anything.

Iain Trousdell�

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Verbal Energy

Rachel — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:03:16 +0000

The Christian Science Monitor’s language blog, Verbal Energy, is pretty darn good. Just thought you’d like to know. Related posts:Oil-Reliant Islands Seek Green Energy Restart "These are not rich communities," says Adam Warren, group manager... Good Morning: Language to survive its purists Erie Times-News Published June 19, 2007 by Rachel Kaufman The... Upgrading the Electric [...] Related posts:

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I miss you

Rachel — Mon, 28 May 2007 15:43:29 +0000

Poor blog. I have neglected you because of real-life stuff: graduating college, moving to a new apartment, et cetera (pssh–like that stuff matters). On the bright side, I’m starting a new internship tomorrow (eek!) and it should provide lots of fodder for posts about writing, editing, reporting, and the like. Until then– Related posts:First post [...] Related posts:

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