Talk's Cheap, Writing's Free, and That Doesn't Necessarily Suit Me

National Feral Cat Day is Oct. 16. I know that because I help with publicity (on a volunteer basis) for Catalyst for Cats. Catalyst is a Santa Barbara County-based nonprofit dedicated to spaying and neutering abandoned cats and to socialize and find homes for rescue kittens. In addition to the publicity stuff, my husband and I help feed a colony of ferals in our town.

I joined Catalyst with the intention of helping with publicity.

What I have been wrestling with lately is when other organizations I belong to assume I'll be happy to do publicity, provide Web site content, or something similar — all gratis, of course. Reasons for joining extra-curricular groups include taking a break from work and/or developing some outside interests. I don't want to spend precious free time doing something for free for which I normally get paid and don't really desire to be doing.

(Below is a poster from the Alley Cat Allies National Feral Cat Day publicity kit. Alley Cat Allies is a national group.)