I am constantly re-evaluating my “plans.” When I found out we were moving to Louisiana just over a year ago, my plans for my future all fell into place within a couple of months. I jumped in feet first and so much has happened. Of course, the #1 thing is that my family is all settled and happy. After that, with persistence and positive energy the stars aligned and things just made sense. I talk to everyone “including rocks who will listen to me,” and am often asked what I “do.” Besides running a busy household with 3 kids and a hubby who commutes and works long hours across the lake, I am trying to do so much. Yes, I truly believe one person can make a difference, but whether this one person can cash in on “herself” remains to be seen. This is when I ask you, the reader to step in and make suggestions and help me plan my future! Here is how the conversations usually go (and I am not one to hold back or withhold information-for bad or good). But, yes, I do have a plan (sort of).

Q: What do you do Greta?
A: Well, I run 4 blogs and blog for NOLA.com, I have done some freelance writing, I contribute to other blogs, I am the state editor for Blognetnews.com (no pay now but I believe it will pay off some day) and I professionally organize houses part time (my partner and I work 2 days a week).
Q: How do you make money?
A: My partner and I charge $50 an hour (for both of us) to organize houses. As for blogging, I get $200 a month from NOLA.com, whether I write once a week or 7 days a week. I usually write fresh content 7 days a week because I wanted to prove that I can do it. I have some revenue generating ads on Kiss My Gumbo.com and do the rest for barter. Let’s put it this way, that wouldn’t feed my family.
Q: Has writing every day for NOLA.com paid off?
A: Hmmmm….well I don’t get any feedback for stats but I think I have branded myself, Kiss My Gumbo and The Princess of Positive quite well.
Q: Would you write for the Times-Picayune?
A: Well, my writing style probably wouldn’t suit them and part of the fun of blogging is writing whatever you want without and editor looking at it. Plus, the ability to put in movie clips, links and pictures with every post is part of the magic. Besides I have sent the editors many e-mails and they will not acknowledge to me personally that I even exist. They hurt my wittle feewings. Maybe that encourages me to even write more often!
Q: How about your charity, Soldiers’ Angels Louisiana?
A: That was part of my plan, the more read and popular I become, the more people get to know about Soldier’s Angels and that is one of the most important things in the world to me!
Q: Would you organize houses full-time?
A: Nahhh…My partner and I love it, but it is physical and mental labor intensive and we both have other passions (she is a pre-school teacher).
Q: Has Kiss My Gumbo helped anyone else over the past year?
A: Gee, I hope so. I started plugging small businesses as soon as it was up and running. After I ate or visited the business, I would tell them I would write them up on my blog. Some looked at me cross-eyed and many still do, because they have no idea what a blog is! Can yo believe that? But as time goes on, people are becoming more edumacated about blogs and when I say NOLA.com (it makes me sound more important), they do understand that language and say thank you.
Q: So what is next?
A: I will continue to write for NOLA.com (if they don’t boot me off), I will continue to run Kiss My Gumbo.com (my hub for everything I do) and would love to see the hits on that site grow more and more each day (a girl can dream). Soldiers’ Angels Louisiana will continue and the hopes of gaining more state support , volunteers and recognition for it will also grow. We will continue to organize houses and hopefully gain more Northshore clients as the commute can kick our butts a bit as we only work around our kids’ schedules).
Q: Anything else?
A: RADIO – I LOVE RADIO and think I would be pretty darn good at it. I have the gift of gab and am just as silly in real life as I am on my blog. I would love my own show. I am actually talking to 2 radio stations and trying to convince them to give me the opportunity to prove myself. If I get a gig it will probably be some obscure hour to start with, but hey, that is what podcasting is for. I hope to have something in the next month or so, but once again, probably not for pay (at least to begin with). GRRRR.
Q: Are you happy?
A: I couldn’t be any happier and think that my happiness shines right through me. My life isn’t perfect and there are bumps in the road every day (some bigger than others), but nothing that I can’t get over.
Q: If you could change one thing about your blogging, what would it be?
A: More comments (or personal e-mails from readers gretaperry@gmail.com) of course, that is the reward I get for banging on my keyboard for hours on end! I write for an audience and that is you!