Something very exciting...

This entry will be short and sweet, and not too related to wildlife. I have to share this exciting news with those (few???) of you out in Cyberspace reading BearlyAlyssa's blog.

I recently posted this picture:

(Schoharie, NY)


...on several different places hoping to share with a wider audience. I'm so proud of this shot, it's centered, good color, and a BOBCAT which is a tough animal to observe.

I e-mailed it to the NYS Conservationist Magazine, and shared it. They quickly replied asking for more information and permission to possibly print it in a future edition of The Conservationist. In the mean time, they shared it on their FaceBook page to share with readers and followers. It was wildly popular, got a lot of "likes" and "shares" and a couple comments. It was very exciting to watch!

Then, I also submitted the picture to the Times Union newspaper, online, to be shared in the "reader photo submission" area. They shared it, and even gave it the title of "Your Best Shot", which I linked to above. I included my blog address in both submissions, directing people to "more of the bobcat story"...and my blog has been lit up over the past few days! It's really exciting for me to get local (well, New Yorkers) reading.

And THEN, something even more exciting happened. A few days after these pictures were submitted, and shared online, the Interactive Audience Manager of the TU sent me an email. He expressed his interest in the content I was writing about, gave me a few generous compliments, and summed up the email by extending an offer to blog under the TU's name! He wanted me to upload all of the 130+ entries and pictures from my blog here, and switch over to the blog format that the TU hosts, and to increase my readership and share stories with Upstate New Yorkers. Very exciting stuff, but I wasn't willing to leave Blogger. I like it here, I'm comfortable. After the new dashboard interface finally settled with me and I'm able to navigate the inner-workings of my blog again, I am reluctant to leave.

So, we had a nice long phone conversation, and struck a deal. I am going to be "co-posting" relevant Upstate NY entries. I will blog as usual here, and then just copy + paste into the other blog on the TU's website to share there.

When I finally get that up and running, I'll be sure to share the link, if anyone is interested in checking that out.

But, how lucky am I? It's ironic, I first attended college for communications. I was dead set on writing for a newspaper one day, and now here I am, blogging! Even better!

This is an unpaid position, but I think I'm ok with that. I never started this blogging journey with hopes of raking in the dollars. Merely sharing my interests and what I'm learning along my "journey" is enough. Plus, once I start getting paid, then I have to start blogging what the boss wants!

Thanks to those who urged me to write, encouraged me to ask questions, provided me with feedback, and to those other bloggers who inspire me to continue!

Kayuta Lake, Adirondack State Park
October 6th, 2012

Happy Columbus Day weekend!