Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Things you may have wondered.

Some updated answers for this at the bottom.

Most websites have a Frequently Asked Question section. Me? Well, I haven't really been around to have been asked frequently about anything. But there are some things you may have wondered.


Why "Tie Dye Travels?"
To those who know me, that may be patently obvious. To those who don't, the explanation. I've always had a streak of wanderlust, and I have no problem with jumping in the car and driving a couple of hours, just to satisfy my curiosity. Add in my wardrobe (an eclectic blend between bohemian and tie-dye), and there you go.

It also comes down to the very first week I did this. There was a nice fellow I was supposed to meet for an interview at the Fuddrucker's in Branson. I went and sat in a booth and never connected. I got back to my accommodations and emailed him to try and meet again. He told me he'd be the bald guy with the bright red tie. I told him I would be the girl in tie dye. It stuck.

Where do you get your ideas?
Mostly from word-of-mouth and my own dusty memory. I love to share stories, and I love to listen to them, too. Invariably, when someone finds out what I'm doing, they have a suggestion right off the bat. I don't follow up on every suggestion (there's a certain place that begins with an "H" that I'm trying to avoid) but I do give them a listen.

Why don't you tell people you're coming for a review?
I worked as a television news producer for approximately 12 years of my adult life. I found that, if I mentioned what I did for a living, that people usually changed their tune and did things differently from normal. That's not my gig. I want to share with people the way things are without the "oh, you're here to write a review!" attitude.

On top of that, the review biz can be a bit polarizing as well. Being identified as a media member can sometimes lead one to a rapid exit... not everyone is willing to share their secrets. The only secrets I'm really willing to reveal to the general public is that secret dish that you don't see advertised in the paper.

Just who are you, anyway?
I'm Arkansas Tech University alumnus and a member of the 1991 Parkview Magnet High School class (and yes, I did know Kevin Brockmeier back in the day, and no I'm not surprised he's a novelist now, and yes it'd be cool to talk to him, and no I don't know his phone number). I have a score of letters on my resume -- letters like KXRJ, KABF, KARN, and KAIT. I spent eight years producing Today's THV This Morning before my leap of faith into the writers' world in September 2007. I have a fantastic husband, Paul, who's been extremely supportive through my decision to leave television on what is unarguably a shaky career move. I also have a Great Dane in his ancient years (11) who's great at interrupting my online storytelling (he likes to come up and lay his head on my keyboard).

What are you hoping to accomplish here?
Well, a lot of things. On the selfish side, it'd be super if someone who reads this website decided to hire me as a writer for their publication. Or maybe they'll buy a post - this website is an article clearinghouse, after all. I love to write -- and, what a coincidence, it happens to be what I do for a living. But more than that -- I'm hoping to share my love of Arkansas, the South, and the road with others. That, and I love to tell stories about the places I've been.

Can I reprint your articles?
Well, yes -- sorta. This is, after all, what I do for a living. Tie Dye Travels appears in the Little Rock Free Press as a monthly column. It's also the basis for the Tie Dye Travels podcast. However, the columns are not exclusive. Tie Dye Travels is available for syndication to your newspaper or magazine on a monthly or weekly basis. Please contact me direct at kat@tiedyetravels.com for more information.

For individuals who want to share my articles with someone, send them a link. You can do that by clicking on that little envelope with the arrow on it on the bottom of each post.

Can I link to your website?
Absolutely. I highly encourage it.

Can I advertise on your website?
Let's talk. Oh, gotta tell you -- I still consider myself a journalist. I don't do reviews for money for restaurants. I don't let ads influence what I write. But I'll be happy to post an ad link to your website in the right hand column for a small fee.

Are you the yoga diva?
Nope... that's the other Kat Robinson, out of Doniphan, MO. You might check out her Active Kat Yoga website... I am envious of her mad yoga skillz....

Are you that guitar chick?
No, I'm not The Great Kat, either, though I admire her ability to shred. Nor am I the Kat Robinson that's the high school track star, or the model from FRM, or the 18 year old from Essex, or the Student Body President, or the psychic advisor, or the attorney, or the woman with my name associated with EMW Film and Talent.

However, I am the former radio show host and voice-over artist, former TV news producer and more. I currently write for several Central Arkansas publications, including Today's Man magazine and the Little Rock Free Press. I've also written recently for Little Rock Family and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Chances are, if you do an extensive search for my name, you're going to come up with a lot of Today's THV entries as well. After all, I did work there for eight years!

Do you write for hire?
Well, yah. Drop me a line and we can negotiate.

Do you shoot your own photographs?
Most of them. There are some that I acquire from attractions and Convention and Visitors Bureaus in rare cases (such as when a museum doesn't allow photographs of exhibits, or the Christmas light pictures from Natchitoches that my camera refused to pick up) but I try to take all of my own whenever possible. I figure I'm giving you a glimpse into what I see -- the pictures just make sense.

Oh, and I am now shooting on a Nikon Coolpix 50, a very wonderful Christmas gift from my mom. I still utilize my Fuji FinePix for some outdoor shots.

Can I write you?
Well, sure. I try to answer all of my email that doesn't come from investors in Zimbabwe... though if I am traveling it may take a few days for me to get back to you. And... to head this off at the pass... "42," "African or European," and "because he's his own dad."

How do I keep up with what you're doing?
Because so many people have been asking me where I'm being published and what's going on as I try out this new career, I have a MySpace page. I try to keep it updated with random pictures that may or may not have appeared on this blog, plus the publications and websites where you'll find my work.

Can I have your autograph?
We'll talk. That will likely involve an SASE.

UPDATED 9/5/17.  After all this time, this seems so very, very dated. A lot has changed in the interim. I suspect I should write a proper FAQ.

Maybe tomorrow.

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