I am in desperate straits, and as a result, so is Publetariat.

In March of this year I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Two days later my husband announced he was leaving me, and did. We would've been married 19 years last month.

*UPDATE 12/21/10* To clarify, as many have inquired about my health, I've had surgery and the mass was completely excised. I'm totally recovered, though left with a scar and a large hospital bill.

The small business we used to run together, which was our family's primary source of income, is now a thing of the past and has been for months. I'm trying to sell off what's left of its assets, but in this economy buyers are scarce. To say I'm struggling to make ends meet for myself and my two children doesn't quite cover it. The bank is preparing to foreclose; I and my children are facing homelessness.

Before the business, I was a software engineer. I still have considerable skills in that area, but again, the economy is killing me. Too many people are out of work, and many of them have fresher or broader skill sets than I do. I am trying to make a go of freelancing, and you may have noticed I've tried to run more advertising on the Publetariat site, too. It's not enough.

This morning when I booted up my computer and immediately went to check Publetariat to make sure it's up and running normally, as I always do, it occurred to me that if I lose my home I probably won't be able to keep running Publetariat and its sister sites. Then it occured to me that Publetariat's audience would probably be very disappointed if this happens.

And it further occurred to me that Publetariat's audience numbers in the tens of thousands, and if each one of them were to pitch in just one dollar, it could keep my children and I---and therefore, Publetariat---afloat for a few more months, while I try to get more work and make other financial arrangements.

So please...if you've found anything helpful, informative or entertaining on this site over the past two years, if its content has inspired you to keep going when you were ready to quit, solved a problem for you or answered your questions...if it has saved you a dollar's worth of time, effort or worry, please donate that dollar now. If you can afford more, it will be much appreciated. And those of you outside the U.S. - your foreign currencies are welcome too, and will be automatically converted to U.S. funds.

If you find yourself in such financial difficulties of your own at this time that you really can't spare even one dollar---and I know there are far too many in those circumstances right now---, please at least spread the word by sharing this link on Twitter, Facebook, your blogs and sites: Is Publetariat worth a dollar to you? http://ht.ly/3qhet
 

Thank you for your support.

*12/23/10 UPDATE* - click here