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Independent journalists — at your service
After 25 years of journalism, retirement was my plan: kick back, read, write, design, draw and dream.
No more daily death knell ringing out the tedious tale of the end of newspapers. No worshiping at the altar of company shareholder value. No forced march down an inevitable trail of impossible expectations. No more wring-wring-wah-wah-cry-cry.
That was 14 months ago. Silly rabbit. Turned out I couldn’t sit still. Found out I wasn’t done with news, just done with the fish wrap.
News still calls. Drama still draws. Politics is still my favorite spectator sport, and public service is still a meaningful goal.
Now I can practice journalism on my terms, which is to say, minus the malarkey.
Here at Food for Thought, we’re living and writing in a paradise and doing what journalists have always done: shining lights in stairwells where ne’er-do-wells hide, cheerfully calling BS at naked emperors, telling people’s amazing stories (everybody has one), and celebrating community successes.
While Doni and Bruce were building this website, I was writing news and personal notes on Pink Hollyhock. We’ve operated websites for many of the same reasons — community connection, belonging and loyalty.
Why not work together?, we said. It’s a perfect fit. And while we’re at it, we said, why not bring in others who believe in what we do? (And maybe somebody will bring a margarita cart!)
We cherish this natural connection with readers. There’s a sincere give and take, which is as it should be. You have a voice – and a choice.
We’re small and still ramping up. But we’re growing and having more fun than knew was possible. Best of all, nobody owns us. No loans, no investors, no puppet strings, no hidden agenda.
Free agents. Independent journalism. What a concept.
Please share your thoughts. I promise to read every comment, and I’m proud to be part of a North State small business that’s locally owned, locally operated and locally interested.
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So grand is your opening!!! Great site, I have read everybody’s contributions and eagerly await more! Your hard work has certainly paid off. As always, I love your writing. I’m so proud of you.
Mom
Love this idea — excellent news for this community.
I wish you all the very best - and I look forward to reading and connecting with some of my favorite local journalists.
You go, girl!
Great to see two of the most interesting people I know working together on a project with such potential. This is going to be a lot of fun for everybody. Thank you both.
Most auspicious and utterly delicious!
You’re right, Kelly. This is a perfect fit! Congratulations!
The talented writers that have been brought together is amazing and a pleasure to read. Most known from previous affiliations, they have gathered together to provide a wide range of timely topics. It is interesting, provocative, tittilating and LOCAL. This is a great next step. This could be the start of a new era in journalism and everyone has the pleasure of sharing from the beginning. I now look forward to many more great things from everyone at FFT.
Amazing! Exploring this site is a vacation in itself.
This is gonna be great!!!
Hey you.
The site looks great.
Keep up the good work.
Hi,
We just finished scanning through FFT and reading several of the stories.As always we are expecting great things from —-KNOWING they will happen !
Pete and Bobbie
Hey Kelly,
Way to go! This is a wonderful thing. The big problem for me is going to be detaching myself from this site; I could spend the whole day here. See you later.
Sue Crandell
You two ladies and two or three men have banded together to create a great site. Looking good and much success. I know you’ll bring in more and more advertisers who’ll want to be among the successful who’ve achieved a huge world wide readership. I do hope that Steve continues with his funny blogs about teens and working at home. I enjoy his stuff and identify with his stories of putting up with pets and teeners.
Kelly, talented people can’t retire, they’ve got too much to offer than sit and sew and tend to gardens.
Your spin on politics will be interesting. I can’t get too many to listen for very long.
We’ll be out here in cyberville awating the next edition!
Sincerely,
Budd
Thanks for the kind and encouraging words, everybody, and thanks for dropping in today. I feel cherished. ~ xol
You are. So’s the site, it seems. Just checking back in after Day One. Can’t wait to see more. Back to browsing.
Congratulations to everyone involved with FFT. I’ve been following along since the beginning and just got home from vacation to find this great expansion that includes some of my favorites. The articles are thought-provoking and informative and they give me much needed information about our community and it’s residents. What a welcome change from the RS. I look forward to many terrific stories and comments from the readers.
Congratulations on this new adventure! I truly hope you all can be “independent” and yet unbiased - is that possible? It would be nice to see journalists just report the facts and not have to put a political spin on them. What a concept! I’m looking forward to some local color.
Wowser (attributed to Inspector Gadget). Two of my Fav Writers doing what they do best; stirring the pot. I have got my spoon ready to lap it all up. Hm…Make that a big spoon so I don’t miss a drop. Congrats.
So this is what Doni has been alluding to these past few weeks. I am away again, so I missed out.
Had a wonderful conversation with another concerned citizen in regards to the slow death of the newspaper in print and how many no longer find it a tool for advertising much less a means of keeping up with what is really going on here in the far north of California. I quickly chimed in and called out “Food For Thought” …have you seen it? A moment of silence prevailed then came these words. “Food for thought is an excellent example how a online paper can work without the burden of the traditional feeding the large press and all that it takes to run it.” It is an exciting time for us all who like to get our news and information online as this endeavor continues to blossom beyond original expectations. Congratulations to you Kelly, Doni and friends.