One of the perks of this job are freebies. I’m currently wrapped up in the new Joss Whedon Companion from PopMatters, published by Titan Books. Enjoying it all the more for the fact that I was totally going to buy it anyway before Titan approached me with an offer of a review copy. I’d happily be paid in books and CDs forever if I didn’t have to eat and pay the mortgage.
Anyway, I’m reviewing the essays one by one, the first part of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer chapter is online now. I’ve just spent the morning working on Part 2 of the Buffy Chapter, but am feeling a little brain fuzzed from a gender/queer theory overdose. I’ve never really understood that kind of sexuality based cultural theory. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a real need to examine and re-establish perceived gender roles and representations for both women and men, and I’ve done my fair share of gender studies analysis (here’s a recent example, looking at Madonna as a 54 year old pop idol), but looking at something like the character of Willow in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there’s so much more to say about her other than the fact that she’s gay. Just a bit of a soapbox rant for now – you’ll have to wait until I publish the review for more.
But back to eating and paying the mortgage, I just put an ad space on Vivid Scribe for the first time. And I’m feeling pretty good about it (even though it’s a long, long way for paying for even a snack let alone a house payment). Web advertising is so maligned and often for good reason when it’s abrasive and overdone, but at the end of the day, I want to earn a living from doing what I love and selling ad space is part of making that happen. Yes, I want money. So kill me. Actually, don’t. Just pay me.
