back in the day

yes waaay back then, I wrote stuff. Between child minding, housework, community radio and life, I wrote.... stuff.

I called myself a "freelance writer" because it sounded better than "typing stuff that amuses me"

Oh I had a couple of articles published; in national magazines in fact, and was proud of what I had written. I was paid nicely for several pieces as well.

But then along came the internet and made writing for money trickier. Everyone was submitting stuff to publishers via email, so freelancers had to sign with an agent. That made me a bit nervous, I wasn't THAT good nor that serious.

Gone were the days I could type out 1000 words, post them in and hope to hear back "yep we'll publish, here's your money". (Or the far more likely "pass. But thanks for trying")

It hit me the other night that blogging now is an extension of that earlier typing. I don't have the chance of being picked up for publication nor exposure beyond the four or so people who read here, but.. meh.

So I headed back into the dusty boxes of folders (some virtual folders, some literal, that's how long ago) to see if anything I wrote back then could see the light of day now. I won't post the stuff that was bought from me, but I look forward to revisiting some of my thoughts from back then and sharing them.

It's interesting what the me "knee deep in the hoopla" of four little kids thought; I reckon I had a keener sense of humour back then because really, if I didn't laugh I'd have cried. 

And now, up to thirty years later, with the hindsight that makes one oh so wise, it's funny to read my earnestness and concern over things that I now know didn't really matter. 

My house was always messy, my kids were always making noise, the TV was always on, people randomly dropped in with up to five kids in tow, yet I think I was actually.... possibly.... happier in my self. weird huh?

So anyways, I will endeavour to tidy up just a few bits of my old writing and retype some, because somehow those precious electronic files have evaporated. Must have been something to do with the floppy - and I mean "original floppy" - discs.. and bask in their airing.