Thursday, January 12, 2012
Kat's Travels Hello, I must be going!
Posted by Kat Robinson on Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 5:15 PM
Fast forward to late October 2008. I was heavily pregnant with my daughter and barely squeaking out a living writing about the placed I’d visited. I got this email from Max asking if I’d like to be a paid contributor to Eat Arkansas. I responded that it might be difficult, since I was barely mobile at that point and I might not get out again until Hunter was born. I was told “no worries” and I started to write about anything I thought was pertinent.
It took me a little while to hit my stride, but after a while I became comfortable with sharing my food-related adventures with y’all. Being affiliated with the Arkansas Times opened a lot of doors for me, and gave me a bit more confidence at a time where small market publications like the ones I’d written for before were dropping like flies. Though Eat Arkansas never earned me a lot of money, it did earn me the notice of bigger publications. And I’ve been blessed to be able to make writing my full time, self-supporting job.
It might surprise some of you to know that I don’t work at the Times office. I’ve been working off my own computer from wherever my travels land me, whether it’s from on the road or from my recliner.
I have enjoyed writing Eat Arkansas. I have people who tell me wherever I go that I have the best job in the world. I don’t tell them what I make — they’d be surprised! — but I do confirm that yes, it’s fun. It’s sometimes been difficult, especially when I’ve worked on cover stories about breakfast and pie and have consumed one or the other multiple times in a day, but it’s always been a blast.
It’s lead to bigger things. And now one of those things is a new job with a lot of new responsibilities. I find that I can’t dedicate the time I would like to researching Arkansas restaurants and cuisine and sharing it with you here. In the interest of full disclosure, my new job is with the Department of Tourism. I’ll still be telling folks just how awesome my home state is — but now I’ll be doing it in the name of the state.
This isn’t really goodbye. I still have several entries coming at you in the next couple of days, and I plan to keep contributing what I can to Eat Arkansas and the Times when it’s appropriate and possible. I’ll still write my own blog, Tie Dye Travels, the one that got me noticed here in the first place. I’ll still post my weekdaily lunch recommendations and I’ll still answer questions thrown at me on Facebook.
If you’re still interested in following me, please feel free to do so on Twitter at @TieDyeTravels. I highly encourage you to also follow @eatarkansas if you’re not already on there, and of course the Eat Arkansas page on Facebook. I know my colleagues at the Times will do great taking this blog back over, and I expect to see some of my fellow food bloggers around these parts submitting their own pieces here.
Thank you for reading and putting up with my ramblings. Dine on.
Comments (16)
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Good luck Kat in your new adventure! We have enjoyed your adventures and hope to see you here once in awhile. I'll keep up with you on FB and your website as I have been in the past. Good eating makes good reading!
Good luck Kat in your new adventure! We have enjoyed your adventures and hope to see you here once in awhile. I'll keep up with you on FB and your website as I have been in the past. Good eating makes good reading!
How will I find a good place to eat now? We'll miss you and your help in finding those off the beaten path places. Good luck in your new job!
Sorry for the duplicate post--I was having trouble getting anything to post and obviously tried one time too many!
Oh my, it's been four years Kat! I look at the site every day. Thank's for letting us be part of your life. And please continue to send us pictures of that little angel of yours. I'm still thankful for all of the pictures you took of the Goof family homestead down in New Orleans a couple of years ago. Best wishes.
I have always been a fan, and have eaten a ridiculous amount of good food solely thanks to you. I definitely want to thank you for your article on Stagecoach Grocery, a place which I now visit weekly.
First, congrats, Kat. Now HOW WILL I KNOW WHERE TO EAT??? (smile) My friend and I will be loss without your directions. I will have to visit your Tie Dye Travels. Stay strong and May God bless all your endeavors!!!
It's been great to virtually share your experiences. I'm a big fan of this and your "main" blog. Hope your new gig lets you share the goodness you've found far and wide!
Bonne chance Kat! Thank goodness there's still Tie Dye Travels to find out what's good to eat in Arkansas and the surrounding area. Congratulations on the new job and you will shine where ever you go. Talent like yours always wins.
Congratulations on the new job and best of luck to you! I will miss you on here--I make it a point to check the food blog every day. Please send us some recommendations when you can!
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