"Happy New Year folks, glad we all had a seamless crossover into the new year. It is new year, things take a turn for the better. Change is constant. We should all desire to grow and achieve as much as God desires for us. Please permit me to share this general announcement:
Please don't ask me to do things pro bono for you, or your organization/magazine/newspaper/etc, unless you fancy being let down, personally.
I have serious bills to pay, just like the rest of y'all, so if you want to hire my services, we can talk, but otherwise, don't even think about approaching me - the time for me to pump up my resume with the fleeting thrill of being a good samaritan is over unless you pay for it. I repeat over!
And nope- no friendship calls as far as business is concerned. Thanks, I have to draw the margin somewhere, and since this last yearly quarter seems to be the one where I've been asked the most for free expertise, let me reiterate once and for all: nothing in the world is free, my expertise being the least amongst them."
