Wampum

I've learned quite a bit from Chris. First, to look past Indy's failings to meet all my expectations, and the memories of an earlier canine, Katie, to his gifts to all of us -- his history as Jonah's ride and Jonah's pillow, his joy in snow and leaves and chase -- before age and the gimlet eyes of people who cage all dogs on public lands -- all slowed him down. That's Zeke's Gift.

Next, there are those lillies and roads like the Mojave Road, which now is part of why we went, and where we went, last winter, far from the vernal pools of RVs that form every Winter on pavement in the South-West. The trees took us to unusual places, like the summit overlooking US 395 east of Lone Pine, and unexpected forests on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. But its not just the place, or the dog, its the state of mind, for which we write and read.

Chris writes about finishing his book on Joshua Trees:

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It's worked before, after all. About a year ago I asked people to chip in for a generator for the Wampum folks, and asked other people with blogs to add the appeal to their sites. I understand we covered the cost of the generator in a few hours. The year before that CRN spearheaded a multi-blog campaign to send Lauren to the BlogHer conference. We had airfare, hotel room, and Lauren's lost wages paid for in 18 hours.

I have little problem asking people for money on others' behalf. It's much harder -- mortifying, in fact -- to rattle the tip jar for my own work. But I'm going to suck it up here and do just that.

I'm asking for your help in meeting the expenses involved in my finishing the Joshua tree book.

The budget is open-ended, because the project is open-ended. Twenty bucks would pay for half a tank of gas. Fifty would cover duplication expenses and postage for a relevant dissertation. Two hundred would cover living expenses for three weeks of field observation, or a few days' room and board while I interview land managers in the USGS Las Vegas office.

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I'm going to give living expenses for three weeks of field observation, or a few days' room and board while he interviews land managers in the USGS Las Vegas office. I know other readers of CRN will give as well.

Read the whole thing. The Blogging Thing versus the Book-Writing Thing