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Hello Mamas and Papas,
I’m so excited to tell you about this new thing…
But first, some background story in case you’re new, and certain that I’m living in the big house with a staff of 10 by now. I’ve been creating comics over at thecowgoddess.com and now here at mama-is.com since way back in 2002. That’s a LONG time. The internet has given me a way to reach more people than I would have ever been able to reach before and allowed me the chance to self-publish books and occasionally print shirts (I know I know, I need more shirts!) and when I have something new for sale, whenever I post about it for the first time, guess where the first order comes from? Croatia! Now, that’s a cool thing about the internet.
A downside to the internet is that all. content. is. free. Okay, maybe that’s a good side, but if you’re trying to be a content creator it’s not good at all. I’ve tried making money off of selling stuff. I’ve tried adding advertising. I’ve tried donations and selling more stuff and begging and pleading and… and… And ultimately I want all my comics to be free. How else will that new mama see them? But I still wonder, why can’t I make money, is it just that it’s not worth anything to anyone else but me?
But now I’ve realized that it’s not just me, it’s EVERYONE. From the NYTimes and Newsweek, to the lowly bloggers and cartoonists and musicians. Nobody can make any money off this internet thing-y. Here’s an idea, think of your favorite blogger, someone who posts all the time and you read faithfully. She has a fabulous life and great kids, she’s published books, you hang on her every word. Find her contact addy and send her an email. Ask this: How are you doing, really? Are you making a living with your writing? (I promise I’ll answer every email ;o) Your favorite regional or national indy musician, ask him. It’s a rare one who is. This culture, the internet that makes reaching each other so much easier, is turning the content creators, the writers, the artists, the musicians; into serfs. There I said it. Don’t believe me? Read Jaron Lanier’s You Are Not a Gadget, he’ll explain it.
But, finally here comes Kachingle. The coolest idea for supporting the artists and writers and cartoonists that you love. Here’s what you do, sign up and create a kachingle account (see the box with the medallion at the top of my side-bar? Click on that. Go ahead, and I’ll wait here.) You’ll be charged $5 a month and whenever you visit a site with a kachingle medallion on it, and you want to contribute to the work they do, you’ll ‘kachingle’ them. Then at the end of the month all the sites you’ve kachingled will have your $5 divvied up between them, according to how many times you’ve visited them. You do nothing but have fun visiting sites, I might make a buck or two. Believe me, it will be awesome!
Now, here’s the fun part. Kachingle is Brand NEW. There are only a few sites that are kachingle-able. I’m now one of them. The top site on the Kachingle site has 87 people kachingling them. I want, even for a brief day or two to be the number one site. Will you help me? Join Kachingle, and kachingle me. Then talk all of your friends into kachingling me too, the first month of kachingle is a trial period, you can always quit if you don’t like it. And hey, list your site on kachingle also, I’ll kachingle you back!
Thank you!
Love,
Heather
ps. don’t forget to kachingle my other site too!
Great idea. I have never been comfortable with commerce, my British upbringing rather snootily describes it as for tradesmen and stuff! But reality beckons, and of course trade conducted with ethics and integrity firmly in place is just fine. Hope I don’t sound too pompous! I even learnt how to do the Hula in Hawaii to be able to loosen up for my kids. Imagine for a moment a skinny, knobbly kneed Haoli, (white) male of over fifty trying to pound the floor in company of about 25 young, bronzed, magnificent specimens of male with a Kuma Hula in hysterics at the sight. And dressed in a Malo, a Hawaiian loin cloth no less.
Sorry, enough to put one of one’s breakfast, I promise never to do that again.
I have signed up, and I hope you get lots of supporters. You certainly deserve it. My bank, Lloyds is denying all payments at the moment but Pay Pal will I hope bypass that. Banks have a new system out, any payments have to be verified by the account holder because of fraud, but being Sunday I can’t get that conformed until tomorrow.
I perhaps should mention, that the descriptive term Haoli does not mean a Caucasian in Hawaii. It means, “a man with out a soul!” I was quite perturbed when I first went to Hawaii in the early 80′s, to discover how the indigenous population regarded us. But of course when I delved deeper into the history, and the Anthropological research it soon became obvious why the local Hawaiians hated us so much. Even to the point of having a “Kill Haoli week” at King Komeaha school. (The spelling is all wrong, but I am unable to access a dictionary at the moment.)
Having their lands illegally taken over, their beloved Queen disposed, because she did not want any of her Hawaiians killed over land. The sugar planters wanted the Hawaiians to work the sugar plantations, but they refused, and the American and British settlers had to first import the Japanese to cut and stack the cane. Then when the Japanese took over the running of the local government, they had to import the Chinese, and when they started to create small shops and trading, they imported the Portuguese, and so on.
What I soon discovered was, that all these new immigrants came from very manipulative, and violently cruel cultures. The Hawaiians resented their presence because they brought such an alien and hostile approach to sex, and creating new life. And what was most important to the Hawaiian way of life, was the greed that they displayed over the creation of wealth and goods. Understandable of course, most immigrants came from very deprived and terrible conditions. They were just desperate to survive and achieve and acquire as much wealth as they could.
With four harvests a year, and a sharing and caring culture, the indigenous people had no need of money. They were not interested in competition, acquisitiveness, and the acquiring of wealth, and power. They were interested in sharing and caring for all. Particularly the young and elderly. Rearing children to be loving, and caring for the land and the sea.
Their religion was ideal and well suited for their way of life, as it was for most indigenous peoples. God or the eternal Spirit was everywhere. No churches or sacred shrines to worship. How could you own land when it belonged to the Spirit? The Hawaiians have a saying. Before the missionaries came, we had the land, they had the prayers. Now they have the land and all we have is the prayers!
They didn’t wear many clothes, as it was so hot. After they were converted the women were clothed in MuMu’s, those strange dresses that covered everything. They were also exposed to the concept that sex was disgusting and dangerous. The Hawaiians were a very sensuous peoples. Their dances, and their chants were often hilariously Rabelaisian. Once a year the village chiefs would hold orgies where everyone would be encouraged to make love to each other. This was done to remove any traces of attachment or jealousy to a particular lover.
I spent an incredible 12 years there. Once they realised that you weren’t a dreaded Haoli, you were OK. You were taken in to their families, you would never need for anything. Everything was shared. At times it was utter bliss.
I have almost certainly gone on to long. But it is Sunday and not too many people will be sharing.
I just signed up and am now officially a Kachingler!
What a great idea this is – hope it helps!
Kathleen – the other one in L.A. ;o)
totally unrelated, but I had to share:
http://www.modernmom.com/hottopic/2010/jul/23/frequent-feedings-make-babies-fatter/
Me and my highly unmarketable Bachelor of Music in music composition can totally sympathize.
reading this is so timely.
check out my plea……http://misplacedmama.blogsome.com/2010/07/29/worthy-or-just-stick-the-bill-in-my-gold-lepard-print-g-string/
i made a killing, i mean more money than i ever thought I would. I had no idea who even read my blog. but it proves that people like to read and that we are all willing to support each other.
have loved you for years…
keep movin’ on mama.
marybeth