Getting ranty with it

I've been going back and forth about the decision to attend Michfest. I've saved a tiny bit of money, but it's not enough to go. I'm reticent to ask for help, have a fundraiser, bake cookies, etc., because the economy has smacked everyone to the ground and asking for handouts -- despite the awesomeness of Fest, the kindness of people, etc. -- just feels icky. Also: I could use the money to continue catching up on bills, the last couple of years at Fest have been difficult and, perhaps, most importantly, I don't bake.

At some point a couple months ago, I considered that Vox might pay for part of my trip if I wrote about Fest while I was there. They were interested in the trip I took to Iowa with some friends in March when they got married, so stories about out-of-town events involving The Gay are certainly possible. I had basically dropped the idea of a 'scholarship' until a couple days ago when a friend suggested it. So I asked King V what he thinks. This is what happened:

King V agrees that the worst Vox can do is say no.

He asks if I'm still going to be able to work my 16 hours the week I'm planning to be gone. I'm not sure why he thought I would abandon all rational thought and not show up for work. *sigh*

Yes. I can go to work AND the festival. This devolves into a conversation about how poorly freelance work pays. King V suggests I contact some other outlets about paying for me to go on the trip. He mentions The Advocate, The Nation, The Sun, and Huffington Post.

OMFG. Dude. I know you have lofty aspirations for my life career, but I'm not going to write the fucking Advocate a month before the festival and see if they just MIGHT be interested in giving an unknown writer hundreds of dollars to go on vacation. It's a big enough stretch to ask a paper who already knows me and my writing to do it.

Either King V doesn't listen to me or ignores me.

"But with email, things are so much faster," he says.

*aneurysm*