Le Mendiant, Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1884

THANK YOU very much to readers who have generously sent donations and supportive notes in response to my last post about scaling back. Here is a relevant message from a reader:

Michael writes:

Regarding efforts to raise funds for the website, why not put up one of those thermometers on the side indicating the goal to be reached and where you stand with funds raised? As it is, we cannot tell how much is needed, ballpark at least, to maintain the site. If not a thermometer, it could be any device indicating funds needed. Let the peeps know what you need and see if they step up.

Laura writes:

Thank you for your concern. That’s a good idea. I have tried to install a thermometer, but I am having a technical glitch with it at the moment. It looks impressive though.

Basically, peeps, here are the ugly details of this site’s finances.

I have raised an average of $3,000 per year for the four and a half years I have been running this site. If I could raise $7,000 in this appeal, I would keep running the site as before. So far, I have $2,827. Thank you to those who have contributed. I realize I am aiming for much more than I have raised before, but I would still only be earning roughly the minimum wage when Jimmy Carter was president. As I said, the alternative is for me to reduce posting considerably. I would continue if I could, but I am also realistic about the possibilities. 

By the way, The New Yorker magazine reportedly pays about $8,000 for a single short story and I imagine it pays close to that for a feature article.

So the other alternative is for me to become a liberal. : – )

Seriously, how hard can it be to write short stories about the meaninglessness of life?

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