Hey folks. The next freelancer’s gathering is coming up next Thursday:

February 25th 7PM Pacific Coast Brewery (906 Washington Street, Oakland)

And I have a favor to ask of y’all. I’m working on getting the freelancecafe.org website into some kind of passable shape (and yes, those of you who’ve been in the group for awhile know that I’ve done this before, but I really mean it this time!) So I want to know – what do YOU want on the website? Do you want it to just be an RSS feed of the posts I send, eventually replacing this email list? Do you want it to be a repository for resources, events, tools, etc. relevant to freelancers? (Freelance Folder posts some great articles about freelancing, so I don’t want to copy what they do.) Do you want it to be a place to post your own links, blogs, interesting work you’re doing, etc. with highlights of individual freelancers from time to time? Something else entirely?

If you have a chance to brainstorm about any of this stuff next Thursday, I would be grateful. And just pass on whatever notes you have through Molly or Rori or our newest FC guru Jen Ward. And if you can’t make it on Thursday but have some thoughts on the site anyway, just shoot me an email.

And finally – if you are a talented wordpress designer and are just dying to make us a lovely site, let me know. This is currently a labor of love, but you’d get a web credit, something for your portfolio, some cash as soon as I manage to find some funding for this sucker, and my undying gratitude. I never, EVER encourage freelancers to work for nothing. This is a personal project and it makes me happy, so please only offer your services if you want to do it for fun (and a bit of good karma.)

Happy gathering! Best, Mia 845-444-4034

Hello freelancers. First, I heard that the turnout for the CPA workshop with Jason Stallcup was great, so a huge thank you to Jason and everyone that showed up.

In case you missed it, you can reach Jason at: jason@jasoncpa.com http://www.jasoncpa.com/ *415.215.0639* 525 Irving Street, SF

Also, thanks to Sandbox Suites for hosting! Make sure you check them out if you’re looking for a co-working space or want to hold an event. Ask for Sasha.

*Sandbox Suites* http://www.sandboxsuites.com/ 123 10th Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 659-8197

Finally, the next FC gathering is coming up next week.

Thursday, Jan. 28 7:30pm Pacific Coast Brewing Company 906 Washington Street, Oakland

Contact Rori at (415) 730-7380 if you have any questions.

As always, contact me at mia@freelancecafe.org if you have comments or questions about the group or have something you want to share. You can also join the FC group on Facebook .

All the best, Mia 845-444-4034 (new cell)

Media event in SF this Friday. Check it out! -mia

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Dear friends, if you have never heard Bob McChesney and John Nichols dissect the American media and its many shortcomings, you are in for a real treat if you attend this event in San Francisco. More accessible than Chomsky, yet every bit as erudite and insightful, they have a new book out. Get it, roll up your sleeves and sign up to reshape the American media-scape. Here are the details, and see the event notice and more details below. Hope to see you there.

Friday, January 22, 2010, 7:00 PM

First Unitarian Universalist Church

1187 Franklin St. at Geary, San Francisco

****

*Progressive Perspectives*

presents

*Robert McChesney & John Nichols*

discussing their new book

*The Death and Life of American Journalism:*

*The Media Revolution that Will Begin the World Again*

“Communities across America are suffering through a crisis that could leave a dramatically diminished version of democracy in its wake… Journalism is collapsing, and with it comes the most serious threat in our lifetimes to self-government and the rule of law in the United States… Unless we rethink alternatives and reforms, the media will continue to flail until journalism is all but extinguished.”

In “The Death and Life of American Journalism, McChesney and Nichols explore the history of the media meltdown and its poltical implications, reject the easy answers of blaming the Internet or imagining that markets will prvide the answers, and offer a bold, groundbreadking solution for saving American journalism.

Robert McChesney is author/editor of sixteen books on the media. He holds an endowed professorship in communications studies at the University of Illinois. John Nichols is Washington correspondent for The Nation and is one of America’s leading progressive political journalists. McChesney and Nichols are co-founders of Free Press, Americas leading media reform organization and organizer of the Nation Media Reform Conference.

Friday, January 22, 2010, 7:00 PM

First Unitarian Universalist Church

1187 Franklin St. at Geary, San Francisco

Co-Sponsors

Media Alliance ~ Mother Jones ~ Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club

Community Media Center/Marin ~ Global Exchange ~ UU’s for Peace/SF

Donation: $15 – $20.

RSVP: ProgressivePersp@aol.com or (415) 785-3650

click to view flyer: http://idisk.mac.com/robtmey-Public/McChesneyNichols.jpg

Not sure why Comcast is involved, but this seems like a good chance to make connections if you’re into that sort of thing. Details below. -mia

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Comcast in partnership with: Asian American Journalists Association/SF Bay Area Chapter Bay Area Black Journalists Association California Chicano News Media Association East Bay Press Club California Media Workers Guild/Freelance Unity National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association/NorCal Chapter Public Relations Society of America/Diversity Committee New America Media Society of Professional Journalists/Northern California Chapter

Invite you to attend our joint

UNITY MEDIA MIXER ~ WINTER 2010

Thursday, January 21 — 5:30 to 8 p.m. Urban Tavern 333 O’Farrell St., San Francisco (near Powell st. BART)

FREE ADMISSION. COMPLIMENTARY APPETIZERS. Raffle Prizes. And more!

Reconnect with former colleagues, meet new friends and renew or join your membership of choice.

For more information, email: sfbaymedia@yahoo.com

Hey folks. Happy New Year! Start the freelancing year off right with a party sponsored by some good friends of FC. Details below. -mia

___________________________

Hi freelancers:

Please join us at California Media Worker’s end of the year party:

*7-11 p.m. Saturday Jan. 9 at the Tempest, 431 Natoma Street in San Francisco. * (That’s just downstairs from the Guild office, and an easy walk from the Powell BART station).

Free eats, cash bar, and beginning at 9 p.m., music by Kevin Fagan, theHEAVYthin and other special guests.

Please help spread the word — download the flyer on www.MediaWorkers.org

and / or RSVP through our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=211711294794&index=1

The event is open to all California Media Workers Guild members — and guests are welcome!

🙂 Sara

Hey folks. If anyone is interested, details below on an event sponsored by the Freelancers Guild. -mia _____________________________

The Guild freelance unit is sponsoring an upcoming mixer with the Bay Area Association of Black Journalists and a few other journalists’ groups.

Make it by!

Thursday, January 21 5:30pm – 8pm Urban Tavern (urbantavernsf.com) 333 O’Farrell Street/SF 94102

Our partners include: Bay Area Black Journalists Association (BABJA) Asian Journalists Association (AJA) Public Relations Society of America, Diversity Committee (PRSA) East Bay Press Club National Lesbian/Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) California Chicano News Media Association (CCNMA)