As a matter of fact...

For the city that never sleeps, I sure have been napping on all of you. I hope you can find it in your hearts (and your Favorites tab) to forgive me.

But I have a moderately decent excuse. I was finding work. Yup, like real, big boy, paid-in-official-U.S.-currency work. Before you gasp and pass out into a pile of free test products, I didn't find a "job," as in full time, so I think I still qualify as being "on the hunt." Which means I can still write for all of you.

What I did get was a freelance fact checking position. And for all you other "hunters" out there, this avenue of work should definitely be explored. It pays, it gets a certain appendage into a certain inside-leading archway, and it's usually part time which leaves ample opportunity for continued job searching, interviews, or episodes of "The Price is Right." And as a good friend pointed out, once you have experience checking facts, you can always fall back on more freelance work should something terrible happen, like your magazine folding -- not that that ever happens.

But fact checking is not for everyone. It's not nearly as rudimentary as it may seem. It's a precision sport that really takes a while to master, not to mention the right resources. That said, there is a lot of help available. And being the loving blogger that I am, I have done some leg work for you. For instance, there are books written by a former New Yorker fact checker. But really, who reads anymore? Well, the lovely folks at Media Bistro have got you covered. They offer a course/seminar/courseminar, but it's not exactly within range of a typical fact checker's budget. But they've done their research and, thus, they offer an 18-minute video download that is only $15 bucks. If spending that hard-earned scrilla is not "your thing," then you can just click around for a while on this site, that has a lot going on but it's all related to checking facts.

So did I win you back? Do you forgive me for my four day absence from posting? Thanks. I knew you would. And just to further cement my significance (not to mention my legitimacy, a true rarity in the blogosphere), on Wednesday evening I will be bringing all of you some exclusive insight to the wonderful world of Web journalism as it pertains to magazines. I'm scheduled to meet up with one (maybe two) Web editors for a very prestigious publication that afternoon, and I'll share some of the highlights right here.

Until then, here's a fantastic video from funnyordie.com that is funny, fact-y, and Bill Murra-y. Enjoy!