The Second Time is a Charm

"There are almost no people who are not dentists who can fix teeth, but there are a lot of people who aren't professional writers who write very well. This is one of the reasons why being a writer is tougher than being a dentist."

-Andy A. Rooney

It was a regular reader of Freudian Slips who suggested I ask The Mastocytosis Society to give me a byline column in their quarterly newsletter, The Mastocytosis Chronicles. The organization promptly denied my request so I gave them personal space where they professionally offered me none. There are only 20,000 people afflicted with my rare skin disease nationwide so how many of us can communicate effectively through words? Evidently, more than I presumed.

In all fairness, the gracious editor of The Mastocytosis Chronicles encouraged me to routinely forward suitable material pertaining to my skin disease. It wasn't just lip service. I have been published in the last two newsletters which travel around the world with a small circulation. I am happy to report that they just published my blog posting dated November 29, 2004 entitled One Man in His Time Plays Many Parts, a whimsical story about becoming an artifact in a Ripleys Believe It or Not museum.

Seeing my name in a story byline offers me a great sense of pride. Knowing the story originated from my blog makes it even cooler. I can be certain of one other thing. Being mistaken for a writer is a hell of a lot better than being recognized as an artifact!