Yippeee! I've Got Cash!

Yippeee!  I've Got Cash!

by Marilyn Mackenzie

When I signed up here, it was really because I was getting some points from another site - MyPoints.com.  (If you're not a member, email me.  Just reading a few emails now and then gets me some gift cards.  I don't work hard at it.)

Anyway, I signed up, but didn't do anything...until there was squabble going on at a site where I've been a member for 7 years.  In fact, I'm a moderator at that site. 

The fussing and fighting didn't affect me directly, but I was angry at the way two members were treated.  Members with cancer.  Members about whom horrible rumors were circulated - that they didn't have cancer, that they were lying, that they were just trying to get other member's attention and sympathies.

Grrr.  Because of the way I am, even if there was any truth to the fact that they were lying, I would not have treated these members as badly as they were treated.  I would have felt even more sorry for them if they had to make up false stories about serious illnesses.

That other site is a "real" writer's site and I have won a few awards there for my writings.  But I disliked the attitude of many there.  Ratings range from 1 (and 1.5, 2, 2.5, etc.) to 5, but most work doesn't get anything over a 4 because the site owner has declared, "none are perfect."

Not only that, but some more experienced writers there think that newbies should be treated badly and have their "works of heart" trashed just so they can be toughened up for the supposed inevitable disrespect one can expect to get from editors when one submits writings to magaiznes, newspapers and book publishers. 

The problem I have with that attitude is that my first experience in having something published was in 1969.  It was a poem written in my 12th grade English class.  As part of our grade for the year, we had to try to get a poem published.  My payment for that poem was $3 and a year's subscription to the magazine.  Not much, I admit, but it got me an "A" in the class.

Since then, I have had poems, stories and articles published - in magazines and newsletters.  And since I've been online, I've had many articles accepted by ezines.  But even when my work was not deemed suitable for the publications to which I submitted, I was never treated badly by an editor.

So, in my opinion, treating newbies who show up on writing sites badly is not required to get them ready for bad treatment from editors.  It's just rude and unnecessary behavior by more experienced writers who act like they are "holier than thou."

That's a long story to explain how I ended up here at Gather.  I thought I would join a few serious writers groups here and some poetry groups.  And that I would continue doing some serious writing and reviewing.

But...

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue (and all that goes with them) had other ideas.  My serious writing and "works of heart" that I feel are "good enough" to submit for publication have been few and far between in the past year or more.

Instead, I have written more about my fibro.  I have commented, joined in on games, and on rare occasion, given serious reviews to budding writers.

I was here for quite a while before I realized that there were points for everything and even longer before they started adding up enough to be interesting.  My computer was old and slow and I didn't really want to spend 8 hours a day here.

Then I got my new(er), faster reconditioned computer.  I was able to spend less time here and do more!  Yippee skippy!

I vowed that the next full month - March 2008 - that I would TRY to get over 3000 points so that I could receive the invitation to the cash option.  (Really, I'm not in love with any of the gift cards offered.  Plus, since I haven't worked full time since 2003 and part time since 2005, earning any bit of cash would help us with medical bills and extras we cannot afford.)

Much to my surprise, I not only got over the required 3000 points in one month, I actually went over 4000 points.  I believe my total for March ended up being...4569.  Amazing.

I waited patiently for the invitation to come about choosing the cash option over gift cards.  My invitation arrived on Wednesday.  My hubby faxed the paperwork to Gather this afternoon...

and...

...a few hours later, I noticed that my points had changed to dollars.

Hooray!  I've got cash!

Now, I just have to figure out how to get it transferred to my PayPal account.  Pretty cool, huh?  I only turned points into one $25 Home Depot gift card since I've been here.  So, I now have $220 in my account that I need to find a new home for...IN MY POCKET!

You know what?  If I can do it, so can you!

Thank you, Gather.  I have to admit that I don't like the new feeds.  But I do appreciate you giving me the opportunity to add to our household income just a tiny bit.

And thank you friends, for helping me, especially in March when you knew I was trying for the cash option.  We did it!