Working from Home
Mr. P. writes to ask: What is it with which earn from home income is usually the best. Like writing etc. And what it is generally.....a rough average in INR.
There is no hard and fast answer to that question and I certainly cannot tell you exactly what your income would be. It really depends on you. I can share with you what six years of seeking to make a living online has taught me.
Go with your passion.
There are people who write compelling blogs. Sometimes they are commenting on the news, or sharing it, often times they are experts in their chosen field and share their knowledge, and others have wonders of creativity; poetry, comics, or photography to share. The very best money I have ever made on line was writing erotic stories for an agent who sold them in bulk to pay porn sites. And if you can write GOOD sex stories, there is definately a market for them. You can't just hack something together though. There is a lot of competition, and some excellent writers working in the field. Having brought the subject up, there is clearly still money in selling porn online - even now that there is so much available free. There is definatly work involved though and you need to be a savvy marketer and really know your SEO strategies. It's probably best if you also know how to code webpages yourself. Again, lots of competition. *chuckle* It helps if you are personally a bit of a perv - the fetish niche markets, like foot fetish, bondage, shemales, and so on are the things people will still pay for. It is not a field for idiots - there is a lot of legalise to be aware of. Ebay! Ebay is a fantastic way to go - especially if you know your field. If, for instance, you collect old postcards, art, antiques or any other collectible and know your stuff, know where to buy cheap and how to sell for what it's worth, you will do well. I understand that jewelry, both vintage and modern, does well. Electronics does well - I just bought a desperately needed replacement for my tablet for about half what it would have cost me brand new! If you have the heart of a bazaar seller, you can really make some money on eBay. It isn't as cheap and easy to get started there as it used to be though - and you will have to make at least some investment. It can also grow to eat your life with keeping track of inventory and auctions and shipping and buying. Which, again, goes back to follow your passion - if you don't MIND going to dozens of garage sales for that one perfect item that well sell for 100x what you paid for it - hey, you got it made! Selling used books is now very easy using Amazon.com (and, of course, eBay) - again, it helps if you love and know books. If you have a craft - you sew dresses, or paint, or bead jewelry - eBay is one market, or sell from your own website, or there are markets like Etsy specifically for crafts people. Again, with writing, you can investigate Squidoo.com or Helium. Write brief articles on things that interest you - they probably interest others, too. Did I say follow your passion? My best income now is from the Coloring Pages website that I began just for fun, for myself and some fellow players at an online game. My next best income is from Adsense ads on my free clipart website - and when I originally set that up Googles own Adsense gurus were saying that their ads do very badly on "graphics based" websites. Well, I'm here to tell you that isn't necessarily true. Here is what I really want to express to you - the most important thing to know to make money on the Internet - is to follow your passion. Be open to ideas. Follow your interests and take opportunities. Read and be informed - webmaster newsletters and forums are a great resource. I started out to build one small personal website to sell my artwork. Moved onto eBay and sold my artwork, hand-made jewelry, and collectibles (yes, I am a collector). Meanwhile, writing for my early blog on the website led to other writing opportunities. Investigating the porn market led me to writing erotica, even though my own porn sites have never done well at all! LOL. Putting a bit of my art up for clipart, and then coloring pages, has gone from "oh just for fun" to the major part of my business. I do THIS blog because I enjoy doing the research and learning things and writing and I love thinking that now and then I maybe even help someone - and it is my third greatest source of income! And its FUN. So do you see the underlying thread here? A lot of the people making a living on line never even intended to - they followed their passion, other people shared their passion, and now they live their passion full time. Now for the cautionary notes. Do not plan to lay around on the beach while your website makes you gobs of money. Oh, it will happen someday - I have faith. But the Internet business is like any other, you do have to work. It just might not SEEM like work anymore ;) If you aren't a self starter, if you cannot motivate yourself, if you have a negative bone anywhere in your body - don't even bother trying. If that is the situation - go buy "The Secret" book or DVD - and THEN follow your passion Well, you asked. That's my answer. Best of luck in all your endeavors Summer Fey Foovay
Posted: Thursday 15th May 2008, 5:31 PM
If it looks like a pigeon...
Someone wrote to ask: I have a maroon bird in my backyard. It looks like a pigeon, but has feathers on its feet.
If it looks like a pigeon...
Well, it probably IS a pigeon. You see, first there was the Rock Pigeon - this guy:
A perfectly nice wild bird. Some 5000 years ago - maybe even longer, people began domesticating them. As with most domestic animals, the longer they've been domesticated, the more varieties, or breeds, we've created. There are at least 200 varieties of domestic pigeons now. Including this guy - a Lahore Pigeon:
Who, as you can see, has feathers on his feet and some rather astounding coloring. I'm sure you've heard of "homing pigeons", and it is true that most domestic pigeons have the instinct to return home every night to roost. Most pigeon fanciers allow their birds to free range during the day, knowing they'll return safely to home in the evening. It is possible the bird in your backyard is a tame bird that is simply lost, and if so here are some instructions on how to care for the bird if that seems to be the case. It is also possible that this is truly a feral pigeon. Pigeons are a bit of a mystery as far as feral animals go. So much so that the famed Cornell University is even doing research on them. You can even join their Pigeon Watch Program if you like. The thing is - most domestic animals who return to the wild, also soon revert to "wild type". That is, their descendants soon look just like the truly wild versions of that animal. Pigeons, however, do not. Just click here and look closely at the photo of that flock in Barcelona that I had at the top of our entry. In only a few minutes, I found five variations on the "wild type" in this "wild" flock. When I lived in Tulsa, I saw both pure white, white with colored specks, and pure coal black pigeons with our urban flocks - perhaps they were pets, perhaps they were wild. There is really no way to tell. Well, there is one way. A pet bird will almost surely be wearing a band around one leg, or both. If the bird will allow you to approach it, you can get the information from the band and contact local authorities, or pigeon fancier associations, and try to get them back to their owner - if necessary. But, yeah - I'm guessing it probably WAS a pigeon. I had so much fun looking at the pigeons (photos courtesy of Wikipedia Commons, BTW, rock pigeon photographed by J.M.Garg) that I've added pigeon coloring pages to my coloring pages website, and pigeon clipart to my Bird Clipart site. This article is also cross-posted at my Naturalist Notebook blog. Summer Fey Foovay
Posted: Thursday 15th May 2008, 2:45 PM
Molly Pitcher - Revolutionary War Heroine
Someone wrote to ask: How did molly pitcher change my life?
"Molly Pitcher" was a nickname given by Revolutionary War soldiers to the women, often wives of the soldiers or camp followers, who brought water to hot and thirsty artillerymen during battle. The water was by some accounts for drinking, by others for swabbing the guns - and probably used for both. However, the name "Molly Pitcher" is most associated with Mary Ludwig Hays McCauly of Carlisle, PA - where she is well remembered by her contemporaries and family. Mary was born Mary Ludwig to a family of German immigrants in 1754. (At the time, Molly was a common nickname for Mary) She later married William Hays. When her husband joined the Continental Army, she went with him as a camp follower and served carrying water to the troops during battle. Her claim to fame came during the Battle of Monmouth in June of 1778. Her husband, an artilleryman, fell, either injured or with heat stroke. The gun was insufficently crewed to continue and was ordered to pull back. Instead, Mary stepped forward and took over her husbands position as rammer for the gun, allowing it to continue on in the battle. Legend has it that Mary's bravery was brought to the notice of General George Washington, who gave her a battlefield commission as Sergeant. She was afterwards known fondly as "Sergeant Molly". Her husband, William Hays, died shortly after the war ended and she later remarried. Her second husbands name was John McCauly. Mary McCauly was eventually awarded a pension of $40 a year by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, in recognition of her contribution. There is also an award, The Honorable Order of Molly Pitcher, which is given to recognize women who have voluntarily contributed in a significant way to the improvement of the U.S. Field Artillery or Air Defense Artillery Communities. As to how she has impacted "you" - well, she was the first woman to serve in combat for what would become the United States Military, and served bravely and well by all accounts. She stepped up when it was needed, and proved her courage and ability under fire. "Molly Pitcher" is a Revolutionary War heroine. She took that first step towards women in the military, and in combat. Fun question - thanks for asking! Summer Fey Foovay
Posted: Tuesday 13th May 2008, 8:28 AM
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