Friday, July 18, 2008

on blegging.

I had a hard time putting up that tip jar, I really did. I thought about it for months, going back and forth on the idea, telling myself that it would be rude and presumptuous of me to to ask for, well...anything in return for my writing. It's just writing, after all - and I chose to do this. It's not something I have to do, or even need to do.

To be perfectly honest, I started this blog as a kind of time capsule. I wanted to have something to look back on, to remind myself of who I was in this period of my life. And, if anything ever happened to me, I wanted Mike to have something more than photographs.

I could have never predicted what has happened - my world has expanded. I am lucky enough now to be able to say that yes, I do have a small purpose in my life, such as it is. I go to work, love my family and then, in my spare time, send some words out into the universe hoping that they will help a woman realize that yes, she is free - free enough to fight and be feminine at the same time. Free enough to choose to live.

But while this part of my life keeps changing, the other has not. I could choose to keep putting off getting myself a good holster and belt, to miss opportunities like Blogger Bashes and Appleseed shoots, and to stop taking new women to the range because of the cost. But I feel as if I can't, not now. I keep thinking of that one woman - that one whose mind I might change. I don't begin to imagine that I am somehow going to change the world but making a difference, even a tiny one, would be a great accomplishment.

So I thank you for your help, your kindness, and your faith in me. I am touched and humbled by every gift and promise that they will be used for gun-related things only. My benefactors should expect a handmade card in the mail - something tangible, made by me, to say thank you.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

"It's not something I have to do, or even need to do."


Gotta disagree with you here. I think some part of you needs to do this.

Be honest, how many times during the day do you get all excited about something that just happened or something you just found and told yourself, "OOOH! I just have to blog about that!"

breda said...

well, that's true. But I don't need to do it to live, to survive. It's not my job. That's what I really meant.

The Duck said...

You have a very important purpose in life, don't kid yourself. You impact more people that you ever dreamed!

Robert Langham said...

Martinis, gun leather or an autographed copy of "Hell, I was THERE!" by Elmer Keith. Give people a chance to contribute!

http://www.amazon.com/Hell-Was-There-Elmer-Keith/dp/0941540162/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216407004&sr=1-1

George said...

Breda, thank you for what you do. As the dad of a young girl, I'm glad that there are people like you out there reaching out to women to help keep them safe.

Anonymous said...

It's just writing, after all - and I chose to do this.

Fair enough, you're under no obligation to write, nor are we to visit the tip jar. And you ought not worry about being presumptuous in having one.

For what it's worth, I have been a guy all my life. A male type one, in fact. A reasonably large one, with many years service in the military, and who feels no qualms walking down any street in America any time of the day. So I can only read and wonder when women like yourself write about what it must be like to always be aware that threats can lurk anywhere and you have to maintain awareness. I have also always hated the sort of "give your attacker what he wants" advice so many professed "feminists" offer other women, and the horror they express of women "taking the law into their own hands."

Bullshit. A group that so constantly yammers on an on about their bodies and their choices ought to respect themselves enough to believe they are worth fighting to protect. I have nothing but contempt for those who refuse to exert themselves in their own defense.

So you are a breath of fresh air. You are an example, and I fully support you putting yourself out there, proselytizing for women and others to be responsible for protecting themselves. Every human being has the right of self defense, and a large share of the misery inflicted upon the world is due to far too many people not believing in that truth.

I understand that this is something you wanted to get off your chest, to clear the air. Now let's not hear any more about it, all right? Go buy some ammunition or a new rifle. And perhaps look up a local chapter of the Second Amendment Sisters, if there is one nearby.

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

So what IS the color scheme for your super-heroine costume? I've been waiting for pictures to be posted.

Kevin said...

Tomorrow's TSM Quote of the Day came from this post.

You don't just inspire women, Breda!

Glenn B said...

You blog is worth a compliment, and probably a tip too. I would make a contribution if it were not for the fact I am in the process of auctioning off some things in order to scrounge up money for a new gun - something to blog about if I ever save enough for it. Of course, I would rather have hit the lottery so I could have kept the things I am auctioning, but such is life - you sometimes give up one thing to get another.


All the best,
Glenn B

Willorith said...

I don't know if you saw this when I posted it a while back. It puts your blogging into a different perspective. If you have any questions, I am exceptionally pleased to help you in wany way I can.


Blogger Willorith said...

A few donations and then you are a professional blogger. Certain expenses of your profession become deductible against your professional income. Expenses such as ammunition, guns, and travel to blog clumpings. Expenses related to the things you write about. If your blogging is a hobby, your expenses are deductible only to the extent of the earnings from the hobby. If your blogging is a profession the expenses are fully deductible, creating a loss which shields other income.

The determining factor is whether you lost money or made a profit in three out of the last five years. Net profit in three years, and you are a professional, net loss and you are a hobbiest. You can manipulate what expenses you include in the business to have a small profit in three years, and a large loss in the other two. The large loss is then deductible against ordinary income (W-2) and thus reduces your taxable income in those two years quite substantially.

I'm sorry if this bored you, in my misspent youth I earned a CPA license, which now hangs in the office of my machine shop a $50,000 cartoon. Life is a curious mix of contradictions. But, what would you trade it for?

Justin said...

And thanks to you for the blogging. I'm trying to pass the activist torch and get my wife and daughter to read.