back to work

Once again I am underemployed in the newspaper business where I am trying to provide for a family of four (soon to be five) on an annual income of $35,000 (before taxes).

I recently accepted a job at WCN Newspapers in Union, as the managing editor of the Crane's Ford Eagle and the Quakertown Eagle. No, I have no idea why they are called the "Eagle." Up until June, The Princeton Packet was the oddest name I'd ever heard for a newspaper.

I also had applied for a position at Focus on the Family for a web-based position. Unfortunately, they decided they could save money and get better results by giving the job to a trained lemur from Pasadena, Calif. No, seriously, I wasn't told why I was turned down (aside from the standard say-nothing explanation), but I suspect it's because I'm unable/unwilling to relocate to Colorado until the situation with my foster son has been resolved.

A couple people I know think I made a mistake in taking that position, but it doesn't seem fair to a kid who was abused for two years to throw him to the wolves just to give my career a massive boost in terms of exposure and higher-profile writing.

Besides, the fact that I was considered at all is nice in itself, and if I can get my fat butt in gear I think I should be able to swing some free-lance writing gigs at Focus.