"You Don't Know Me, But...."

Well, Good Afternoon!

It's been about a week since I've posted,

and what a great week it's been.

I wish I could say I'd been doing something prolific

or life-changing, but nope....just been taking it easy,

putting family first, and enjoying life.

I went and saw the utterly, completely life-changing

 Broadway musical Les Miserables in San Antonio

yesterday....for something like the 13th time.

To know me, you've gotta know that you really, truly can't

call yourself my friend or kindred spirit unless the story of Jean Valjean

doesn't move you to the core of your very being...

faith, struggle, redemption, love...

"to love another person is to see the face of God".

But I digress.

Today's post is actually about something completely different.

I'll be getting to the point in a somewhat circuitous way

{ regular readers of this blog are used to this maddening predilection of mine }

but first I want to share what my e-mail Inbox looks like

on any given week.

I regularly get e-mails from generally good-intentioned individuals

which usually start with the lines

" You don't know me, but...".

And the next line varies, but sometimes it goes like this...

"I would love to write a guest post for you. I'll write on any topic

you pick, all you have to do is put a link to my blog inside the post".

Other times, I get asked to add someone to my blog roll,

in exchange for them adding me.

And then there are the folks who promise me all manner of goodies

if I will simply but write a product review or endorsement post.

I also get e-mails asking if I offer advertising space,

or if I would be willing to place an ad on someone elses  blog.

It's all business as usual when I flick through my Inbox,

and it's given me cause to reflect on why I blog the way I do.

Firstly, I have never placed ads for Fiona and Twig,

and I never will.

I am not selling anything, except photos to editorial publications,

so I see no reason to advertise my blog elsewhere.

Secondly, I have never and will never charge ad space

on my blog, because blogging is not my business.
I have nothing against those who have ads on their blogs,
it just doesn't work for me, and I'll explain why...

When you accept paid ads, you have a certain responsibility 

to your paying sponsors to provide regular content,

and since I have a full-time life AND job outside of

my Fiona and Twig alter-ego, I refuse to place that burden

of responsibility on myself to churn out regular content.

To those who accept and place ads, if it works for you, mazel!

Thirdly, a spot on my blog roll is not up for grabs to the highest bidder.

I believe that I can count every single person over there on my sidebar

as a friend, and the invitation extended to others to write guest posts,

or to endorse certain products is reserved
for known and trusted friends as well.

In a way, it's sort of about claiming ownership of this blog,

and not allowing it to own me.

This post may end up being a bit of a feather-ruffler, but so be it.

No offense whatsoever is intended,
but I feel a call of sorts to produce the deed
to this particular piece of internet real estate,

and make it understood that as much as I love this blog

and my readers, it is at best, priority number five or six in my life.

But it's mine.

And that's just how I roll.

photos taken at the gorgeous space

of  Alan and Gina Galichia

of Country Garden Antiques in Warrenton.