After the Manifest Destiny Journey ended in January of this year, a fleeting question passed through my mind and I stopped it mid flight: "Could the readers themselves be the directors of what I do?" It seemed so egalitarian, so democratic. But I knew at that time, that I didn't even trust my own judgement (for rough camping, navigation and transit, food and liquid, and an emergency cushion for needed supplies) well enough to hand the direction of the actual exploration over to folks who had even less experience with this kind of travel. I needed more experience first.
Well, I've reassessed this idea ever since I stayed in Portland, Oregon. I turned it over, dissected it, squished it back together, kneaded it and rolled it back out as - what I believe - is now a realistic enough concept to put into action. It isn't perfectly worked out yet--after all nothing's perfect, but I think that if introduced slowly, and we work out the bugs that rise up occasionally together, we may be onto something very new in journalism.
Below is how this has evolved in these Journeys and where it may lead on the final Homecoming Journey...
* * * * * * *
The Evolving Direction of the IWALLK Journeys
The Odyssey Journey
Random Self Directed Exploration
A Manifest Destiny Journey
Self Directed Exploration
A Living Magazine
California to Minnesota - Self Directed Exploration
Minnesota to Alabama - Partial Reader Directed Exploration
A Homecoming
Full Reader Directed Exploration
* * * * * * *
BUDGETING BASED ON EXPERIENCE
I think, before going into the parameters of Reader Directed Exploration, we need to see what I can handle based on my experiences this year, and plan a budget accordingly.
ROUGH CAMPING - I now feel that I have plenty of experience rough camping in just about any climate or environment in the United States--having spent about 150 nights sleeping outside in the last twelve months. That means I can go to any city or town and not have to rely on motel rooms. Essentially I would be sleeping for "free" (though it can be a very tough prospect--as it has been, there would be no monetary requirement). Ideally though, it would be great to be able to get a cheap motel room every two weeks or so. This would be equal to approximately $35.00 per week (assuming a room costs about $70.00). That being said, motel rooms will NOT be a requirement.
NAVIGATION AND TRANSIT - I also feel confident in my ability to quickly assess local resources, follow necessary routes and use local, regional and national transit systems (buses, light rails and trains). That means I can go to any city or town and immediately establish a base of operations from which exploration can be done safely and effectively each day. As should be apparent in the last post, my weekly bus trips should not exceed about $40.00 per week, any extra funds can be used for local transit, but I DO plan on walking most of the time once in these places.
FOOD AND LIQUID - Food insecurity was quite dire at times during the Manifest Destiny Journey, and continued to be a major problem at times during this Living Magazine Journey, but has become less-so as I have found ways to psychologically deal with hunger, lessen my expectations for the amount and quality of food I would need, and was able to forage and gather some nutrition from the environment around me (fruit, vegetables, nuts, grasses, leaves, etc.). Therefore, I am going to take a chance and scale back the amount of money I will require for food and liquid to a minimum of $10.00 per day, or $70.00 per week. This works out to about $280 per month, and would allow one small meal and enough liquid each day to survive for the next ten weeks. Believe me, just knowing that I can start each day with $10.00 would do wonders for lessening my anxiety and keeping my work consistent. On some weeks in the last three months I only had $10.00 for a WHOLE WEEK. That is no way to live, and I barely did--as you may recall.
EMERGENCY CUSHION FOR SUPPLIES - There is no realistic way that I have discovered for saving money for supplies, etc. with any donated amounts averaging below $20.00 a day. So, occasionally, I will need a cushion for doing laundry, replacing equipment, or toiletries and other supplies; something equivalent to about $20.00 per week.
Total Operating Expenses - based on the estimates above - would be as follows...
Description
|
Per
|
Day
|
Week
|
Month
|
| Rough Camping |
$0.00
|
$0.00
|
$0.00
|
|
| Motel* |
$5.00
|
$35.00
|
$140.00
|
|
| Navigation and Transit |
$5.71
|
$40.00
|
$160.00
|
|
| Food and Liquid |
$10.00
|
$70.00
|
$280.00
|
|
| Emergency Cushion for Supplies |
$2.86
|
$20.00
|
$80.00
|
|
| TOTALS with Motel |
$23.57
|
$164.99
|
$659.96
|
|
| TOTALS without Motel |
$18.57
|
$74.28
|
$297.12
|
|
| * Not Required | ||||
Except for the two motel rooms desired per month, the bold totals above are MINIMUM requirements. They are the least that would be needed for a completely smooth final leg to this Journey. Honestly, who else lives for a minimum of $300 per month? I do consider myself to be "at work" 24/7--even when I'm asleep since I might have to suddenly wake and deal with situations that arise (like not floating away with the Willamette River tide in Portland, Oregon, or deflecting a herd of onrushing deer near Salem Missouri).
There are 672 hours in four weeks. So my "salary" works out to the equivalent of about $0.44 per hour. If we consolidate that into an eight hour daily period of 40 hour week, I would be paid $4.20 per hour. Please bear in mind, that no savings accrue. I also have no healthcare at all. There is zero room for little pleasures (discretionary expenses). I'm not trying to impress you. I'm simply telling you what I am willing to do to make this work. IF it works, even these modest numbers would make it all worth it for me.
Now, I'm not a fool, and I've learned to be brutally realistic with my expectations. Judging by what I have experienced since October of 2014, I've become accustomed to the disappointment of not meeting the budgets that I set. Or, more accurately, not meeting them when I need to meet them. I have always been able to keep moving, but it is due to moderate-to-large chunks of investment coming in at random times, after awkwardly asking in every possible way for help. That system has worked but it is very stressful not knowing when funds will come in, nor being able to rely on my "daily bread" for sustenance. It is my greatest desire in the whole world at this point to AT LEAST be able to eat one meal per day, from the production of this blog. With that in mind, perhaps the people who so generously have contributed larger amounts every few week, might consider dividing those into smaller amounts and contributing them weekly? That is of course entirely up to them (or you--as the case may be).
READER DIRECTED EXPLORATION (RDE)
Here are the current parameters for this new idea. They are open to being altered and improved as we go along...
INTRODUCTION
I have had enough experience experimenting with different ideas for fundraising and having each one crash and burn (selling t-shirts, offering free ads on the blog, asking for people to help with media recognition, trying a Kickstarter campaign for publication of the Manifest Destiny Journey, and others). Each got a lukewarm reception from the core of the readership or was completely ignored by everyone.
This is no one's fault but my own. I simply can't find the readership's pulse on which to put my finger. Therefore, I have had to swallow my pride every day, and essentially beg for money--and in all honesty, have been criticized for "not working like everyone else". I've had my feelings hurt, despite having a skin so thick I sometimes can't find my way of it. Very frankly, there are only a handful of donors who give on a recurring basis. They already give, and to expect them to buy t-shirts, send ads to the blog, contact the media, etc., would be ridiculous and completely unfair to them. They are already doing more than their part.
In order to expand the readership in ways that bring in NEW donors, increase Facebook shares, and set up the potential for a viral spread, I need come up with brand new and completely novel ideas that actually function as advertised. These RDE days are my latest thought-children. I truly feel that this system has the potential - once recognized by any and all readers and executed appropriately by yours truly - to give immediate gratification to the donor, to the readers who prefer to just watch what happens and to myself.
I despise "begging", because, for the most part, it is ineffective, easily misunderstood and thence misrepresented by those who are ignorant of what the blog is and isn't. I have never ever begged for money or food from local people, on the road. I have never been to a soup kitchen to eat. I am not on welfare, nor do I receive EBT food stamps. I also have never asked any of my readers personally for help. The only way I will accept funds from any of these sources is if they are freely offered to me. Thus, up to this point, the only time I've asked for funds is in a general way.
However, with the following, I desperately hope to move away from my general requests for donations and contributions, by offering these more real and tangible "RDE Day Purchases."
THREE DAYS A WEEK WILL BELONG TO YOU
As seen in the Evolution above, Reader Directed Exploration will be partial in this last leg of the Living Magazine Journey, and - if effectively implemented - become full during the Homecoming Journey. That means that for up to three days per week on this current Journey, I will be entirely subject to the whims of this readership.
Please recall that every Wednesday I will be traveling and need to direct that on my own. That leaves Thursday through Tuesday of each week. Now, the Tuesday before, and Thursday after traveling each week, could be problematic. Also, Sundays are not ideal either, since some activities might not be available to us all. So, for now, let's make these Reader Directed Exploration days: Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays.
PROCESS FOR DIRECTING AN RDE DAY
This has been the most difficult thing to work out. I want to reward financial contributors first, and allow them the power to direct my exploration. Yet, I also want to allow readers who can't afford making donations to have some say in the activities of an RDE day as well. The following is what I've come up with, but I would be willing to listen to your suggestions for improving the system as we go along.
* $50.00 purchases an RDE, and earns an entire work day (8 full hours) devoted to his/her own interests in whatever city I happen to be in, during the days set aside for such activities (Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays). Travel or walking time IS included in the 8 hours, so plan appropriately (I walk at about 3 mph). If you want me to visit a place that charges an entry fee or requires a ticket, etc., the funds to cover those expenses must be provided in addition to your $50.00.
* Every FULL $50.00 RDE purchase earns an RDE day. So, if your purchase is for $100, you have earned two complete 8 hour days upon which set the agenda; for two different days. If you donate $99.00, you will still have only one day to direct, but can apply the extra money toward the expenses I might need to cover to complete your request--like tickets.
* Once your funds are received the next eligible RDE day is reserved for you. You may then submit three major activities you would like me to focus on. There is, however, no requirement that you plan the day yourself. You may not have the time or energy to do this kind of planning, and might just say, "Visit the Nashville Zoo". Now, that being the full extent your request, two options then become available to you:
(1) You can choose to have ME assume the direction about how the visit takes place, OR...
(2) You may elect to have the readership decide how the visit takes place (my preference).
* A public Facebook IWALLK social group will be started next week that, aside from being a discussion group, will serve this RDE polling and voting purpose. Therefore, when you choose option (2) above, a poll will be established for your request, in which any interested reader (including yourself) can add voting options related to your request (one idea per person, except for you as the purchaser can add as many options as you want). Other readers - whether they have added option or not - will be free to click on the options that most appeal to them--with no limit to how many they choose. The three most popular options (I will choose if there are ties in the voting) will be integrated into your your original request.
For example...
You donate $50 and request me to "Visit the Nashville Zoo". You decide that you want to let the readership to help design the visit. I then post an open poll at the coming Facebook group, saying
Please recall that every Wednesday I will be traveling and need to direct that on my own. That leaves Thursday through Tuesday of each week. Now, the Tuesday before, and Thursday after traveling each week, could be problematic. Also, Sundays are not ideal either, since some activities might not be available to us all. So, for now, let's make these Reader Directed Exploration days: Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays.
PROCESS FOR DIRECTING AN RDE DAY
This has been the most difficult thing to work out. I want to reward financial contributors first, and allow them the power to direct my exploration. Yet, I also want to allow readers who can't afford making donations to have some say in the activities of an RDE day as well. The following is what I've come up with, but I would be willing to listen to your suggestions for improving the system as we go along.
THE RULES
* Every FULL $50.00 RDE purchase earns an RDE day. So, if your purchase is for $100, you have earned two complete 8 hour days upon which set the agenda; for two different days. If you donate $99.00, you will still have only one day to direct, but can apply the extra money toward the expenses I might need to cover to complete your request--like tickets.
* Once your funds are received the next eligible RDE day is reserved for you. You may then submit three major activities you would like me to focus on. There is, however, no requirement that you plan the day yourself. You may not have the time or energy to do this kind of planning, and might just say, "Visit the Nashville Zoo". Now, that being the full extent your request, two options then become available to you:
(1) You can choose to have ME assume the direction about how the visit takes place, OR...
(2) You may elect to have the readership decide how the visit takes place (my preference).
* A public Facebook IWALLK social group will be started next week that, aside from being a discussion group, will serve this RDE polling and voting purpose. Therefore, when you choose option (2) above, a poll will be established for your request, in which any interested reader (including yourself) can add voting options related to your request (one idea per person, except for you as the purchaser can add as many options as you want). Other readers - whether they have added option or not - will be free to click on the options that most appeal to them--with no limit to how many they choose. The three most popular options (I will choose if there are ties in the voting) will be integrated into your your original request.
For example...
You donate $50 and request me to "Visit the Nashville Zoo". You decide that you want to let the readership to help design the visit. I then post an open poll at the coming Facebook group, saying
"An RDE has been purchased! The request is: 'Visit the Nashville Zoo.'
Please add an option for something you would like me to do while I'm there
(limit one addable option per group member), then vote any and all options you want,
including the ones others have added!"
* After adding one option, any individual reader will (as shown in the bold above) then be allowed to vote on as many of the other people's posted options as they want. On the night before the RDE day, I will choose the three most popular options related to your request as my assignment for that day. When your RDE day arrives, I will post my assignment for that day at the Facebook group page.
For example...
RDE Request from "Anonymous": "Visit the Nashville Zoo"
Detailed Agenda: 1. "Photograph the Lion Cage" [6 votes], 2. "Video the Penguins" [5 votes], 3. "Research the history of the zoo" [3 votes]. [All other options had less votes than these three.]
* At that point I will be obligated (as best I can) to fulfil your request and/or complete the three options chosen by other readers. I will then write up the day's activities and process the media as I see fit, and they will be published on the next calendar day (barring no problems or delays arising). I will retain full power to veto or change anything as I think appropropriate. But, the whole idea is for me to honor your desires as closely as I can. If I were to overrule things all the time, it would NOT be "Reader Directed" anymore--so I will avoid messing with your ideas unless I feel I must.
* I would REALLY prefer that readers who buy RDE days be willing to give their names publicly it helps show that real people are brave enough to associate themselves with me, but there is no problem if they would like to remain anonymous.
That's it!
* * * * * * *
The rules will be published on their own page at this blog, along with two PayPal buttons, reserved exclusively for RDE days. The first will be a $50.00 only option, and the second will be for choosing your own amount ($50+). Please note that these are not "Donations". They are PURCHASES for a service.
Now I'm going to let all of this sink in and see what you think. There are a few days before the Facebook Group page is created, and the RDE days will not commence until I get to Indianapolis, thereby going into effect for the rest of the Journey.
Thank you for reading, contributing, sharing this blog and your interest in this new project. I believe that if the outside world could catch wind of this idea, it might give us the impetus to finally gain some regional or national exposure--Spark Willing!!
Please feel free to comment here or discuss this at my Facebook page and the new IWALLK Group when it is created next week.
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