Paul Fidalgo

I feel weird even typing this, but this is how it is: Making things that matter take a lot of time and energy — time and energy I’m happy to spend because I love working on these things. Yet it remains that this time and energy are rather limited resources. One is supposed to do their creative work for no reason other than the satisfaction of having done it and, but let's be honest, attention, validation, and compensation are nice too. I will always try to write and produce as long and as often as I can, but it’d be a lot easier if all this effort generated a little bit of income. Any amount that my work could generate for me and my family would create just that much more breathing room, and reduce the financial stress that I know most families are feeling these days. It would give me just that much more freedom to do more of &lt;waves hands around&gt; this. I hope you get real value out of my work. I hope you feel enriched and informed by the writing, and I hope you like listening to my music when, once in a blue moon, I make some. I hope you like the big thoughts and the dumb jokes, and I hope you discover new things and new ideas. If so, I’m asking, respectfully, if you’ll help support me, Near-Earth Object, and whatever additional writing, musical, podcasting, or other projects I take on, by donating here. You totally don't have to, but it'd be really cool if you did, and it would be enormously appreciated.  On the right, you'll see some options for supporting me on a post-by-post basis. I will consider "one meaningful unit of consumable Content™ to be something like a thoughtful essay, a song I've put together, a podcast episode or other audio piece, or any other kind of media of substance.  And whether you give or not, still, thanks for being here.

Free

I will think you are a kind person.

Good thoughts

I will add your name to a list of folks on the website who are kind enough to have helped me out.

On the books.

I will write you one sonnet on the topic of your choice, and post it to the blog. That's 14 lines of iambic pentameter. You'll also be on the list of kind people.

You win a sonnet.

I'll write one thoughtful essay, answering the Big Question of your choice, probably under 1000 words, and post it to the blog. I don't promise you'll like my opinion on said Big Question, but that's probably not why you're here anyway. You'll also be on the list of kind people.

Direct my attention.

I will write and record you one song on the topic of your choice, with minimal instrumentation, probably between 2 and 4 minutes in length. It will be published to Soundcloud and the blog, and I will retain the rights. You'll also be on the list of kind people.

Choose your membership