To Press, Or Not to Press... That Is My Question

Lately I've been hearing a lot about Wordpress, and how it's the only way to make money with your blog, and all serious bloggers use it.  This raises a few questions to me, the first being, do I want to make money on my blog? 

I know that may seem like a crazy question, but many activities are fine and noble until money gets involved.  Marrying a man because he can amply provide for a woman and her children is considered smart and being a capable mom, but if he's rich, she's a gold digger.  Sex with someone you just met is considered risque to some, slutty to others, but get paid for it and both partys are likely to condemn you as a prostitute.

I started my blog for a few reasons, primarily because I am a career writer that has been away from it for a few years, and I've gotten rusty and pathetic.  The discipline of regular blog writing has really gotten me back into the spirit.  Another reason I started this blog was so that I could show potential employers examples of my work, as well as parade it around on the web for someone to 'discover', like the literary equivalent of a beauty pageant.

But then two people whispered in my ear, promising that I could actually become rich as a professional blogger... my first reaction was to blush and hush them.  I replied that I blog as a gift for those I love (which, incidentally, are mostly people who read my blog) and that I didn't want to cheapen it with money.  My second reaction was to ask if there were such a thing as a professional blogger, and I was assured there is, and given actual numbers and names of different individuals as proof.

The idea set itself in my mind like a stubborn splinter.  I'll be completely honest, I think the idea of supporting myself on blog alone is very similar to planning a lottery win in my financial  future... not very likely.  Normally I would discount the entire idea and keep to my 'blog as gift' shtick, but I find myself in a position that makes the idea worth trying.  Namely, I can't legally work in Australia until my visa is approved. 

I've been sitting here since August of 2010 with the possibility that I might be waiting another 8 months.  I don't watch much television and my attention span, due to internet over usage, has gotten too lazy to read for entertainment purposes.  I'm still working hard at Second Life clothes design, but I can only stare at Photoshop for so long before I start going cross eyed.  Farmville threatens to atrophy any of my remaining intellect if I don't find something else to occupy me.  So, after much deliberation and few choices, I decided ...why not?

I signed up for Sandi Krakowski's 30 day blog training course, and started reading WordPress Power Guide by Lambert Klein, and they both tell me the first step is to move my blog to Wordpress.  I don't know why that is such a big deal, or what Wordpress has to offer that Blogger doesn't, but I will keep an open mind and try it out.  After all, that's what separates the pros from the rest of us, I'm told.  Besides, what have I got to lose?  I blog because I love writing, but I think I'd love being rich too.