washwords

I know you think I don’t get out much, cause, mmm, I don’t get out much. And I know I’m all secret about myself, who the heckily am I? I have my reasons.

But I’m coming out of the bloggy closet. No, not like that (not that there’s anything wrong with that.) I’m just… making my way out there in the blogosphere, guest blogging and blog-editing at some very fine places I’m honored to be a part of.

In the coming days and weeks, I’ll be revealing the woman behind the washwords (I know – who can stand the excitement???) to my subscribers. Subscribers only. Click here for a feed reader  version (google reader, i google, bloglines) or here to get it right in your in box any of the “subscribe here” links to the right. (Sorry mom, this is gonna be not so exciting for you. You already know me. I’ll make it up to you.)

In the meantime, check out where else I’m appearing (and why my blog posts here have been dwindling a bit):

Blogging Basics 101: Content Is King
Check out my guest post on writing good blog content (using tips from my past journalistic life). Then stay and investigate the rest of this tres useful blog, with tons of plain-English tips on blogging in a friendly, fun style.

DCBlogs » DC Blogs Noted
I’m thrilled to be recently named one of DCBlogs’ contributing editors. The above is my most recent collection of noteworthy DC blogs around town. But likewise, read all the blogs and feed there and please send your feed to the fine folks at dc blogs. Know something wonderful I’m missing? If you’re my bloggy pal, hold tight. You’re on my radar, just didn’t want to overwhelm DCblogs with all my friends’ talent outta the gate – wouldn’t be fair! If you’re new (to me), please please please, send me your link. I subscribe to all / any dc area blogs I can find. (yep, virginny and md. count too), search regularly for topics of local interest. I know all the editors are committed to featuring noteworthy contributions from bloggers with different perspectives, experiences, worldviews etc etc. Let us know! And please, comment, link, share the good things you find there. A community is building and it is exciting!

Not in DC? Still worth your while in my humble opinion. If you like good writing anywho.

Thanks for bearing with me while I do some maintenance around washwords. We’ll be back better than ever more regularly in a jif.

Please don’t tell me if Street Sense, the Washington D.C. based paper for and by the city’s homeless, has a downside, a seedy uncurrent, a mismanaged office. I don’t want to know. Because I love it.

I love the home-grown nature of it, the pull-yourself up by your bootstraps nature of it, and, frankly, the fine writing! Check out this April’s fools’ day post, slamming on -gasp – our nation’s finest baseball team, management, and sense of “giving back.” :

Opening Day has taken on new meaning in the nation’s capital this year as the Washington Nationals are opening the doors of
their new southeast D.C. stadium to the
city’s homeless population for overnight
stays throughout the season.
Under the “Open Door Policy” unveiled
on April Fool’s Day by Team President Stan
Kasten, the homeless are invited to sleep in
stadium seats or on the concourse at Nationals
Park but must stay off of the field,
a compromise brokered by Head Groundskeeper
Doug Lopas, who stressed the need
to protect the stadium’s new turf.
“This generous plan will keep displaced
residents from having to leave the city in
a futile search for low-income housing options,”
said Barbara Silva, the Nationals director of community relations. “the impression that economic progress depressed regions has a detrimental effect on
the poor.”

Wow. The article goes on to quote fans, players,  and other afficiniados of the new “sleepover day.”

The Mommy-track post, or as Maggie Dammit would say, the post in which I lose several readers (in a fiery rage? she didn’t say that part). Anywho, back to my point, which was… am I evil for resenting a “New Parent Community of Practice” recently (heh) spawned at work? Don’t answer yet. Let me explain.

I. Let’s say one works at a federal government agency. Let’s say said anonymous Place of Employment offers flextime, telecommuting, maternity leave, paternity leave, on-site (good) day care, part-time schedules, family-friendly sick leave, use of sick leave and annual leave towards extended maternity/paternity leave, etc.

Photo by N. Farnsworth as printed on Flickr.

II. Let’s further say Place of Employment is a place where work is analytical and done in teams in a Read the rest of this entry »