Well, okay.

You may have already listened to today's podcast, and heard my request that you come read this. Or maybe you haven't, in which case, well, I'm glad you're reading this, anyway.

I am wrestling with the problem of operating expenses. Keeping the site going is not hideously expensive, and I have been paying for it out of my own pocket, and I am not here to say that I resent doing so, not at all. However, I am not unaware of the quality problems I have, and while -- as Craig has been explaining very nicely recently on his Behind the Scenes podcast, which you should check out -- it is true that I can improve on things for not a huge deal of money, it is, nevertheless, money, and being single income two kids now, I have to pay attention to these things, which is why I haven't rushed out and bought an iRiver so I can go do my recording somewhere nice and quiet and so forth.

On the other hand, there are a few guidelines I have taken very seriously when doing this particular podcast. The first is that it not be used to make money for businesses. That would, to me, be inappropriate. Consequently, you will note the lack of ads on the website and in the podcast. Secondly, it shouldn't be used to line my pockets or in general buy me unrelated luxuries; that, too, seems inappropriate. There again, thus the lack of ads for revenue or whatever else. On the other hand, I don't see a problem accepting contributions to feed the project, and indeed, the new headset I have, for better or worse, was donated.

So what I'm thinking of doing is putting up a Paypal donation jar. If everyone tossed a buck in it, I'd have enough to get an iRiver and a higher end headset and probably still have enough to cover the site cost for at least a few months. If there are other ways I can improve the podcast, I'll spend remaining money on that. If there's not, I will immediately remove the donation links. That's the best compromise I can come up with. What I want to know is what you, the listeners, think about it. Again, I don't want to load myself up on toys, here. (I would love to do that with a podcast at some point, mind you. Just not THIS podcast!) I just want to do the best podcast I can (and hopefully attract more people to listen), and it may be that y'all can help with that. On the other hand, if you think it's better that I stick with the level that I can manage now, then I can do that, too.

Please, let me know what you think. And enjoy today's podcast.

>

-R