Most of you–if you’ve read my bio that is–know that one of my big hobbies is photography.
I have another hobby however, one I enjoy because it relates to the teaching degree I have. If teachers made more money, I’d still be teaching, but schools just aren’t safe places nowadays & so many parents just don’t appreciate a good education for their children. Anyway, my secondary hobby is answering questions.
At first, I signed on with WikiAnswers, a subset of Answers.com. I was a section coordinator for many years before they sold the company & the site was closed down. After that, I was pretty bored for awhile–until Alexa came onto the scene. Now, I hang out on Alexa Answers, finding facts to help people answer those tough questions like “What is the biggest thing in the universe?” or “What fish has the longest name in the world?”
I like answering questions, even though nobody knows who I am behind my screen name (“velyrhorde,” a nod to my sci-fi-writing other persona). It’s satisfying knowing that the next time someone asks a popular question, there will be an answer instead of an impersonal “I cannot answer that question.” Besides, it’s fun learning new things all the time. I’ve always loved doing research and this is varied enough to keep my interest going. Plus, I like almost always being one of the Top 10 Contributors. I’ve gotten a badge for the past three years in a row (that’s how long I’ve been answering Alexa’s questions for her). You don’t get any money for winning a badge, but it’s a nice pat on the back.
So when I’ not writing or taking photos, I’m over on Alexa Answers looking up obscure facts and trying to educate the youth of today who, like kids of any decade, can’t be bothered to find anything on their own.