Chicago Bear Steak Recipe

Green Bay Packer Fans usually like their steaks cooked on the grill, and I found a great recipe for the best grilled beef steak.

But since the Packers will be meeting the Bears this week, it's a great opportunity to replenish our supply of bear.

How does Chicago Bear Steak simmered with onion sound? The Chicago Bear steaks are not only tender, but that awful aftertaste of the midnight blue, orange and white coat have been tempered by the addition of onions.

The best Chicago Bear Steak will be available after kickoff on September 25th, but stock up on the onions and beer so you'll be ready to cook up this tasty post game dinner. Once you get your hands on the pulverized Chicago Bear meat, Packer fans only have a few steps left to prepare the meal. You can easily do it during half time.

Pound the living hell out of the Chicago Bear Steak with a meat tenderizer. If the Packers have already taken care of this job, as this sports fan suspects is the case, just wash the Bear steaks off with some beer from the can I know you’re drinking, and dredge them in some flour with a bit of salt and pepper.  (If the bear meat has been overly beaten into submission on the field and falls apart by the time you get it, check out the way Grandma Butts Inn prepares Chicago Bear Meat Balls.)

Drop the floured and seasoned Chicago Bear steaks into a hot skillet of oil and sliced onions and brown on both sides. Drain off the excess oil. Chicago Bear steaks are known to be a bit greasy, so make sure you remove that disgusting mess from the skillet as well.

Add enough water to the skillet to cover the Bear steaks. Cover the pan and let the meat simmer, or stew, just like Lovie Smith is on the sidelines, until you’re ready to enjoy your meal.

Chicago Bear Steak on a fall afternoon is a rare treat. In fact, the last time the Frustrated Freelancer remembers enjoying such a wonderful  treat is back in January as our Packers made their way to the Super Bowl. I'm still not sure which victory was sweeter.

I plan on stocking up on enough Chicago Bear Meat to last  right through the REPEAT Super Bowl Victory party.

Perhaps I’ll add some peppers and my favorite sauce, put it on a hoagie roll and enjoy a great Chicago Cheese Steak Sandwich, Packer style.

All written content ©2011 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Frustrated? Not so Much

 It’s been a while since I've posted here. I haven’t really been all that frustrated with anything but my time management plan, but have been so busy that I didn't have time to even give that the attention it needed.

There have been a lot of changes in the content writing profession recently that have demanded my attention. Not only are there major changes in the way content writers write to be recognized by search engines, many business changes to the sites we submit to have writers busy realigning their income streams.

I’ve also been lucky enough lately to pick up several additional private clients whose needs have kept me busy with researching, writing and the bookkeeping and other paperwork details that come with running a successful freelance writing business.

A successful freelance writer doesn’t waste time complaining about changes. We take the opportunity to learn and grow. We recognize these changes as a way to improve not only the way we express ourselves, but as a way to hone our skills in recognizing and adapting to trends that will serve us well in the future.

Unfortunately, finding the right balance to meet the needs of my private clients, reading about the current online content changes and the social media discussions as freelance writers try to find their way through the shifting maze of changes has left me less time to dedicate to my own websites and blogs. I recognize this as something that has to be remedies as quickly as possible.

So, as busy as I am struggling to give attention to each little piece of my writing life that has to be dealt with, I really haven’t been frustrated at all. While that may be a good thing, it doesn’t offer a lot of inspiration to write for the blog entitled The Frustrated Freelancer.

So now I’m off to learn more about time management. Luckily, I know of a freelance writer who seems to be an expert on the subject. If you’re have a problem finding time to balance your career, families and personal passions, meet me over at 

All written content ©2011 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Exciting News for this Frustrated Freelancer

The Frustrated Freelancer is excited to announce that she has partnered with 3ContentWriters.

I

 We're not exactly sure what you would call what we are, but we sure do have a lot to offer. Each member of the 3ContentWriters group brings varying skills to the table and are devoting their individual commitment to the success of the group as a whole.

When you see 3ContentWriters you know that you are getting quality professional service from a group that incorporates 3 distinct personalities and a wide range of interests and achievements to form a single entity. 3ContentWriters offers a wide range of professional content services to meet the needs of all of our clients with creative and innovative quality web content.

3 professional content creators, Patrice Campbell, Theresa Leschmann, and Suzanne Alicie  have created the 3ContentWriters group to provide a well rounded selection of skills and services with flair and integrity. 

3ContentWriters has published a press release, in case you missed it.

The Frustrated Freelancer will not change because of this partnership.

Right now, I'm going to Facebook to like the 3ContentWriters page. Follow me over there.

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Japanese Rain Goggles

As a freelance writer, I pay attention to what people are searching for on the internet, trying to find ideas on something to write about. Last night when I couldn't sleep, I turned on my computer and spotted the search term Japanese Rain Goggles.


I had never heard about Japanese rain goggles before. It sounded interesting. If I was interested enough to type it into the search bar to read up on them, I thought perhaps other people would click on a link bringing them to a Japanese Rain Goggles story to see what it was all about.


Why are People Searching for Japanese Rain Goggles?


You're probably wondering the same thing I was thinking. Why the sudden interest in Japanese rain goggles? Well, it turns out that in a recent episode of Two and a Half Men, the goggles were mentioned. I didn't see the episode, so I wasn't convinced that the writers of the show just made up the term. There had to be something, somewhere about Japanese Rain Goggles.


So I kept searching.


Whacky Inventions and Japanese Rain Goggles


As I searched for Japanese Rain Goggles, I imagined I could remember Charlie Browns dog Snoopy sitting atop his dog house with his scarf flying and his pilots goggles with little miniature windshield wipers clearing the rain from the lenses. Could these be the Japanese Rain Goggles I was looking for?


Obviously not, because I searched and searched and could find no information on rain goggles, let alone Japanese rain goggles.


While I managed to find a pair of military issue sun, wind and rain goggles for sale on ebay, I was never able to find information on Japanese Rain Goggles, except for all the articles saying that they just don't exist.


Now, if this isn't an SEO article, I don't know what is. Let's see what it does for traffic.






All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Writing Through the Holidays

Even a frustrated freelancer faces the time management problem of working to pay the bills and struggling to put aside enough money to pay for the perfect gifts for loved ones.


We want our homes to be cozy and inviting. We want to enjoy the company of friends and families. On the other hand, every hour spent away from the computer means less output that satisfies our clients as well as our bank accounts.


I'm taking advantage of this juggling of priorities to share previously written articles of Holiday Tips. Hope you find something helpful that will make the upcoming holiday season less stressful and more enjoyable.

Homemade Herbal Holiday Decorations

Inexpensive Handmade Ornaments and Gifts

Nov 13, 2009 Patrice Campbell

Add Dried Herbs and Nuts for Holiday Decorations - Elke Rohn

Herbal holiday decorations can be fashioned to fit any decor, and they make welcomed economical and personalized homemade gifts.

Dried herbs preserved from the kitchen garden can be mixed or bundled into hand crafted gifts for no additional cost. For those without an herb garden, fresh and dried herbs can be found at herb shops, health food stores and in the produce and spice aisle of the local supermarket.

Read more at Suite101: Homemade Herbal Holiday Decorations: Inexpensive Handmade Ornaments and Gifts http://www.suite101.com/content/homemade-herbal-holiday-decorations-a169478#ixzz15yAFCOd6


Want to give someone an early spring for Christmas?

Forcing Bulbs for Late Winter Cheer

Grow a Spring Bulb Garden Indoors

Nov 10, 2009 Patrice Campbell

Forcing Bulbs - Katie Tardiff

Blooms from forced bulbs, for gifts or to keep, can fill the home with the feeling of springtime months before the soil starts to thaw.

While some people like to hang on to winter for as long as possible, many are tired of the season and yearn for signs that spring will finally come long before the first blooms of the crocus peep up through the melting snow. Bulbs planted in inside containers in the fall can brighten the home by the time the New Year's confetti is vacuumed from the rug.

Read more at Suite101: Forcing Bulbs for Late Winter Cheer: Grow a Spring Bulb Garden Indoors http://www.suite101.com/content/forcing-bulbs-for-late-winter-cheer-a168109#ixzz15yCUNH6k





All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

New Freelance Danger: Cooked Testicles

Freelance writers have a lot to worry about, but now those men among us also have to deal with the worry of “scorched scrotums".


No, I'm not repeating information I heard on the late night talk shows. Real reporting done on real scientific research has brought to light the dangers to the nether regions when a laptop is used for as little as 10 to 15 minutes.


Now, I don't know how they found volunteers willing to have thermometers hooked up to their scrotums while they used their laptop, but in the interest of science and saving testicles, enough men were willing to do it to run a successful test.


A male friend I contacted for reaction advises that men watch out for the cooling fan, too, but declined to give more information when I asked him if this suggestion came from actual past experience. Read More




The Frustrated Freelancer doesn’t want to get involved in your personal reproductive choices, but is only trying to keep you informed. If you have experience with cooked testicle syndrome, please comment below.

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

If it's November it Must be NaNoWriMo

A Novel in 30 Days. Don't Make Me Laugh

A first for this frustrated freelancer. I committed myself to write a rough draft of a fiction novel in November. That's right. A whole novel in 30 days.


I started writing pieces of fiction as a child and continued until I started working as a freelance writer full time. The, fiction fell to the wayside as I struggled to pay my bills with non fiction articles for print and online. 


For several years I wanted to participate in National Novel Writing Month, the always found excuses. The bills had to be paid, how can a person write a novel in 30 days, I didn't know what I would write about.

Getting everything ready for NaNoWriMo

Whoops.....Read more Here




All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Facebook Privacy Dependent on Facebook Friends

Freelance writers who use Facebook and other social media to promote themselves and their work usually have a lot of friends whom they've never met except online. We indiscriminately seek out and accept new friends who may read our work, confident that because we've educated ourselves on internet privacy, any information we've allowed on our Facebook pages is safe. We often post pictures of our cars, home exteriors and children to share with friends and to promote our work, never thinking about how much information we're sharing that someone can put together if they want to find us or  even get back at us because of our opinions.

According to a recent article I read, we may have a problem. Read More

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Are Libraries Ruined?

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old person, but I miss my old library.


The library has always been one of my favorite places. I love the quiet, the smell of old books, seeing children explore new worlds with boundaries set only by their reading levels.


Visiting the library has changed over the years. Instead of using the card catalog, we can look for information on the computers available, if we wait in line for the teenagers to access the email accounts their parents have forbidden on the home computer. Most libraries have free wireless internet access so that their patrons are not denied the wonders of the world wide web even if their budget does not allow for the added expense.


My local library offers even more. It has a used book store, a coffee shop, and patio tables with umbrellas set up outside for users.


So what in the world is there for me to complain about? All these wonderful service additions have changed the way people use the local library that it's hard for us old timers to adjust and be productive.


Is the Library a Place to Conduct Business? 




photo used with permission under morgueFile Free License

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Facebook Crisis Proves Importance of Social Media Support

It was a crisis. A CRISIS.


I clicked on my Facebook tab to check in with friends and my Facebook page was gone. I reloaded, and the page stayed the same. What in the world was going on? I needed proof that my circle of Facebook writing friends were still chained to their computers, churning out information and willing to offer advice and support to their fellow freelance writers.


I have to admit I panicked.


Many freelance writers don't realize how much of their social life they have given up in order to build their freelance careers. Deadlines, and sometimes sheer exhaustion have slowly reduced face to face time with real friends in the real world to practically nothing.


We've slowly replaced our social life with cyber life. Facebook offers a wonderful platform to fill the void. We can use the private messaging system to communicate those thoughts and ideas we don't want to share with the world in a status update. We can use the chat feature for a more detailed communication that need real time responses. We can share links to our work in status updates. The status updates also allow us to see what our friends and colleagues are accomplishing.


Most of us are logged on to both Facebook and Twitter continuously during our working hours. A quick glance at the browser tab alerts us to the number of updates while we've been busy in another browser window or working in another computer application.


I've known for a long time that I depend on social media as I work, but never did I realize that I was emotionally dependent on it.


When I took a break from the article I was struggling with to check in with my Facebook friends and let my jaw muscles have a moment to recover from the stress of grinding my teeth, it was gone....all gone.


No friends, no support, no Facebook.


In denial I reloaded and reloaded. I pulled up a previous Facebook from cache and tried to reload and log in to no avail. I was all alone in the world.


Fellow freelancers, remember the good old days when we actually took the time to make a phone call? Sometimes we'd get voice mail, but that was no problem. We left a message and went back to work as we waited for the person to call us back. I never panicked when no one picked up, did you? In fact, I usually expected my friend to be busy and was always prepared to leave a message on voice mail.


So why did I feel so disoriented when I lost my Facebook?


I clicked the Twitter tab and sent out my SOS to all my Facebook friends. Amazingly, my tweet was able to post to my Facebook account, even though I couldn't access it from my computer. I got a few replies from friends who were on Twitter at the same time, giving me reassurance that no catastrophe had happened and I wasn't the only survivor of a global catastrophe. 


Reassured, I went to my favorite news website and saw that a glitch was causing Facebook problems all over the world. I was finally able to breath.


We justify our time spent on Facebook and Twitter as using social media to promote ourselves and our work, but in truth, a lot of us find it's more than that. We have found friends that we will probably never meet face to face. We have found support from strangers. We have filled the holes in our life that our commitment to our work has left with people who are just like us. We don't meet up for lunch or drinks. But we've grown to depend on each other being available during working hours when we just need a bit of encouragement, or a good laugh.


I'll never feel like I have to make an excuse for being on Facebook again. Thanks for being there, FB friends and Twitter followers.


All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Alert - Outlook for the Older Freelancer

Pat yourselves on the back, Freelance Writer. You're employed. If you're over 50, give yourself an extra pat on the back as you may have lucked out. 

"I wasn't pleased with the news, either"

It's good news and bad news for the full time freelancer. The Great Recession is over, according to reports I've read today. In fact, it's been over since June 2009.

The National Bureau of Economic Research Website states:

"CAMBRIDGE September 20, 2010 - The Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research met yesterday by conference call. At its meeting, the committee determined that a trough in business activity occurred in the U.S. economy in June 2009. The trough marks the end of the recession that began in December 2007 and the beginning of an expansion. The recession lasted 18 months, which makes it the longest of any recession since World War II. Previously the longest postwar recessions were those of 1973-75 and 1981-82, both of which lasted 16 months."     Read the full report.

The bad news for all those freelancers over 50 is that you may never find another job, and if you do, it probably won't pay as much as the job you were downsized from. According to the New York Times:

"After other recent downturns, older people who lost jobs fretted about how long it would take to return to the work force and worried that they might never recover their former incomes. But today, because it will take years to absorb the giant pool of unemployed at the economy’s recent pace, many of these older people may simply age out of the labor force before their luck changes." Read the rest of this very interesting article.

If you're over 50, reach for the notebook and keep plugging away. You always wanted to retire early and write, and it looks like you're getting what you wished for. 






All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

An Epiphany...Don't Roll your Eyes at Me!

Yes, I've had an epiphany. I chose the word carefully because I was afraid you'd just roll your eyes and move on to something else, but there is not other way to describe it.


It's not only changed my freelance writing schedule, but it seems to have started a trend of improved finances and has eliminated a whole lot of stress from my working days, which as you all know seems to be seven days a week.


It's all about self imposed deadlines. We were all told years ago that the successful person, no matter what they do for a living, set goals and impose deadlines and stick to them. Although I don't usually consider myself a sheep, I admit I said "baahhhh" and followed the herd.


I know I'm taking a big risk sharing this with only 2 weeks worth of results, but the whole thing just seems logical now that I see it with fresh eyes and have put aside decades of habit.


Each evening, more so as the end of the week approached, I'd look at those deadlines and get worried that I wouldn't be able to meet them. Then, I'd get a vulnerable feeling that I would fail in all of my goals,  tighten my jaw in determination to get through the daily schedule and grind my teeth until I got a headache and had to give up in frustration.


Guess how much sleep I'd get in the few hours left of those nights.


So.....on to the epiphany. I took a look at my schedule and highlighted deadlines that were imposed by clients. Then, I highlighted deadlines that were set for work with upfront payments I needed to pay my bills. Then, with a different color highlighter, I highlighted self imposed deadlines that I had set for p/v sites so they always had updated articles or because I had committed to so many articles a month.


So my three top priorities were all highlighted and what hadn't been accomplished was squeezed into the planner for the next day, filling it up. I went back and discovered that the items I couldn't find time for were my blogs, website and fiction. With no time scheduled away from the computer!


Duh. Snap.  What's the word of the day?


Isn't the whole idea of struggling to be a freelancer the goal of working for yourself?
It was time for some self examination. What did I really expect to gain from this whole freelance writing world I had committed myself too?

1. To be able to set my own deadlines.
2. The freedom to change my own schedule to meet my needs.
3. The freedom to just be able to write.
4. To be able to support myself doing something I enjoyed.

Duh. Snap. What's the word of the day?


It's epiphany.


I rearranged my list to read:

1. To be able to support myself doing something I enjoyed.
2. The freedom to just be able to write.
3. The freedom to change my own schedule to meet my needs.
4. To be able to set my own deadlines.

You see, number 4 on the list was getting in the way of what now is, and should have been number 1 all along, but somehow lost ranking along the way. Just like my blogs, website and fiction fell to the bottom of the priority list every day because of my self imposed deadlines.


But, deadlines are deadlines, and I'm supposed to set deadlines. My mind was fighting with my gut. Luckily my gut won out.


My private clients and upfront payment work all had strict deadlines and so did the due date on the bills that work paid for.


My blogs, website and fiction had self imposed deadlines, but were both urgent and important in my long term goal of getting paid for what I enjoyed. Change it to a strict deadline.


The work I did for p/v sites all had self imposed deadlines. Sure, they have the possibility of paying off really well in the long run with attention and luck. There is the risk of the site still being in business down the road. The numerous streams of income is really nice, even though it's a trickle, together they may someday merge into a river. But push come to shove, it's still working for someone else for just a bit of money when I really need to devote the time to other priorities. They have to stay on the list, and they stay with self imposed deadlines.


So, in a moment of absolute brilliance I changed my meaning of the term self imposed deadline to mean reminder.


Not only do I have a lot less stress, at the end of the day I've accomplished my set in-stone deadlines even when I've had to be flexible.


To top it all off, the stats on my blogs and website continue to trend upward.


The best part of all is that I've been sleeping at night and not dreaming that I was still on the computer.

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Not Frustrated at all Today

Today was one of those days everyone who works as a freelance writer dreams about. The stars have aligned. I finally found time to go through email and found that tiny streams of money from various sites have been trickling into my PayPal account. I noticed these emails as they came in, but none showed amounts large enough for me to stop what I was doing and transfer the money. 


It's not often that so many sites pay out within days. But when these days do come together, you see that the potential is there to keep plugging away putting content up at those obscure sites you really don't count on. This little windfall, along with the payouts I'm expecting this week will allow me to back off and really devote time to my own projects.


The motivation of the unexpected payments kept me working all day with few breaks, and I've had one of the most productive days in recent memory. I know that this is all a fluke, but I also realize that my stats overall are trending up, so in the future this might become the norm. Someday in the future.


I'm not bragging here. It wasn't THAT much money. But is was more than I expected.


So I'm sharing with hopes that anyone who may not have had as good a day as I had today might get encouragement. Especially those of you just starting out who may be tempted to just give up because it seems no one is reading them and they have only earned pennies. You know who you are. I talked to one of you just last night.


If you enjoy it, keep at it. Someday your stars will align, and you, to, will see your progress.


All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Eyestrain? Are you Working from the Backyard?

One of the great things about working from home is that on beautiful days you can move the laptop and cup of coffee outside and enjoy nature without sacrificing the schedule. Sounds perfect, but it can cause some major problems.


I've learned a few tricks this summer about preventing computer eyestrain and still enjoy working outside.Sunglasses don't often offer enough protection from the glare of the sun. Even when sitting in the diffused light of a shade tree, you'll find yourself squinting as the dappled sunlight plays across your work.


A simple hat or cap with a long visor will do a great deal to help protect your eyes from strain, as well as help keep the hair out of your face when the breeze kicks up. But, you may still find yourself squinting.


The unfortunate thing about being engrossed in your writing is that you don't notice little things like how uncomfortable you are. So, maybe you should just let your laptop tell you.


When the laptop battery runs low, it's time to bring your work inside, out of the bright light. On those days when you just can't bear to leave the beautiful fresh air and sit couped up in the home office, don't fight it. Grab a notebook and your favorite manual writing instrument, a stack of correspondence, work that needs editing, or the trade journals you never got around to reading and continue to work outside until the laptop is fully recharged and ready to join you.


Chances are, this change of routine will often recharge you, too.


Nothing motivates a freelancer as much as seeing the stack of paperwork in the in basket go down.




All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

How do You Define Share?

As freelancer writers, we know the importance of social networking in self promotion. Most of us use Facebook and Twitter on a regular basis, and our stats show that we do get clicks from those sources.

Each time we see our links shared by Facebook friends or retweeted by Twitter followers, we imagine the extra clicks we may get as a result of the additional exposure.

Why, you might wonder, with hundreds of friends and followers, are so few people sharing your links?

It's true that freelance writers are a tight group of people who promote other writers by sharing links and tweets. But look up the meaning of the word share. It is implied that you will also share.

You are free to use social media in any way that suits you. So is everyone else. Sharing of links is not a requirement. But those of us who consider the time spent clicking, reading, commenting and sharing as part of our daily business routine soon have a list of people who promote us. We will go out of our way to promote them.

We can't share everything that comes across our page, of course.  Not only will links to our own content be lost in the sheer number of updates, but we may run the risk of alienating the friends and followers we have accumulated as simply readers of the topics we write about.

During writing challenges and toward the end of the month, writers can publish and post links to a lot of articles. If we promoted them all, even with being choosy and only promoting those writers who promote us the most, we could be sharing hundreds of links a day. Sometimes we have to choose which posts to share, which posts to simply click, tweet and comment on, and occasionally, when time is really limited, which links to simply click on and allow to open in a separate window. Luckily, Twitter followers are less likely to be offended by the number of links we promote and will often RT our RT's.

So, if you notice that one of your freelance writer friends is no longer sharing your articles or retweeting you, stop and examine your sharing behavior. Reestablish relationships by taking the time to be a friend and start sharing. It's never too late. Freelance writers are a forgiving group of supporting friends. For some of us, social networking is the only social life we have.

So, how important do you think it is to promote other writers, and how do you manage it with your busy schedule. Please share by commenting.

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Personal Voice and American 'Dialect'

I am in the midst of an online discussion with some writer friends about local American dialects of the English language. It's surprising that the country can communicate at all.


Personally, I enjoy visiting with the locals when I'm traveling simply to catch the quaint phrases of the area. I enjoy reading novels set in small communities where the local flavor is expressed through dialog. So, I have a question as a freelance writer:


Are we missing the boat by trying to follow established grammar rules when writing our blogs?


We're told to find our own voice when writing to give our work more power. Wouldn't cha think that meant writing the way we talk? Wouldn't that give our work a bit of character, maybe some more interest, don't cha know? Well, maybe it wouldn't be such a great idea to be as obvious as that, but really. A blog and an informative article used for reference are two different things.


I follow blogs because I like the content of the blog. Some of the blogs I follow are written by bloggers who have a wealth of experience and are sharing valuable, personal tips. I value their articles, and think I would trust them no matter how 'real' their way of expressing themselves on their blogs appeared.


Other blogs are written as mini informative web sites. I know the difference. I follow them, after all.


So, bloggers and wanna be bloggers? What's your take on the whole thing?




All written content 2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.