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Bare and uncensored personal expression. Beware!!! |
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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** "This is pretty much what journals are all about, at least to me. I knew as I wrote them that even though they provided an excellent place for brain (and heart, and psyche) dump, they were mainly a map of me." --- Colleen Wainwright "Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it." --- David Sedaris "Please write again soon. Though my own life is filled with activity, letters encourage momentary escape into others lives and I come back to my own with greater contentment." --- Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey "In giving of myself onto these pages every day I allow myself to write regardless of the depth and meaning. I share myself with others without fear of recrimination for these are my thoughts, my feelings and my very being, and there are non who's opinion of me matters more than my own." --- Rebecca Laffar-Smith   The Writer's Round-About |
| *sighs* Today was another day of struggle. Yes my wrist hurt and I felt tired probably because my body is trying to heal but seriously, how could such a petty thing lead me to not want to do anything at all. Or rather a part of me wants to but that part doesn't seem to hold sway. I'm starting to wonder if my motivation and willpower suffers bipolar. I go through days of intense creative activity. Then days of extreme procrastination. Anything seems to be a better alternative to writing. I suppose it could be related to the normal cycles of my everyday bipolar. Usually that's a wave of three days extreme high, five days balance, three days extreme low, five days balance. It would be interesting to track my inspiration levels and see if they're in sync with my highs or lows. If they're directly related then perhaps the best way for me to deal with it is the same way I deal with the bipolar; strict sleeping pattern, regular meals, plenty of vitamin B, and routine exercise and activity. Meanwhile I'm going through a low. A part of me wants to write, a part of me knows that there are ideas in my head that I want down on paper and yet every time I come to the screen I'm in revolt against myself. Every time I start putting words on the page my internal critic screams in fury and starts ranting and carrying on about how horrid it is to be sitting here and how I shouldn't bother. Even writing this blog is torture. I don't want to write it. And yet I've promised myself a blog and so I hunted around for a topic and really all I could find was how aggrevating it is trying to talk myself into doing anything. *sighs* I'll have to keep reminding myself that nothing great comes without hardship. Meanwhile I can call this a blog entry to turn 28 blue. Hopefully tomorrow will be easier. |
| I must be getting old. Oh, and I'm an idiot. *grins and winces* I used to skate every day when I was a child. Apparently I was skating about as soon as I was walking. Roller skates not ice skates or blades. Figure skating in upper primary school. I always loved it and I kept my speed skates all these years although haven't had the opportunity to get on a rink since high school. Anyway, today I'd promised to take my kids to the park and I thought, "Yeah, I'd love to get my skates out." So I did, put them on skated over to my mothers and remembered all the muscles I hadn't used in years. But I was loving it and it felt natural. The skates I hadn't worn in seven years just seemed to mold to my feet as if they were a part of me. We'd shared a delightful breakfast with my mother and were reminiscing about the years of skating I'd done. One year was extra special. My tenth birthday part my mother threw me a party at the skate rink and my friends and family were all invited. My grandmother, who was sixty at the time even got on a pair of skates and was having the time of her life. Right up until she fell and broke her wrist. Mother and I chuckled about it this morning remembering how much I'd always loved the smooth concrete and feeling the air around me when I'd spin in the center of the floor. I loved doing it when the rink was packed. The center always remained clear for figure skaters and I'd go there while everyone else was doing laps and I'd spin and spin and spin feeling the loud music throb through me and feeling lighter then the stars. I'd jump and despite being weighted down by this shoes with wheels I could glide through the air. And I'd toe step and skate backwards and do cross overs as if the floor and the skates and my legs and my body were all one object in existance. Today, I was about to skate down the ramp in the back yard of my mothers house to help my daughter get her bike out so we could do some laps around the park behind the house. Just as I hit the decline she walked in front of me bike and all and my options were to drop and fall or slam into her and who knows what damage that would have caused. Obviously I dropped and fell. Slammed my skate and let myself fall backwards. Now when you're taught to figure skate they teach you how to fall. They teach you to relax your muscles, don't brace yourself, roll slightly, and land on the soft parts. I did, my skate slammed the back of my thigh, I stayed relaxed and missed damaging my spine or hitting my head on the ground. But I braced myself, landed on my arm and jarred it all the way to my shoulder. Kaylie (my daughter) watched horrified as I lay there stunned a moment and then gripped my wrist trying to fight back the shafts of pain and just letting myself lay there waiting for it to subside enough to know if I should move or stay there. If you've ever damaged a joint or bone like that you might know that there is a sense to be still until you can judge if it's broken. Kaylie's calling my mother urgently and out she comes and by the time she reaches me I'm telling her I'm fine, it's not broken, just jarred. It throbbed a little but I really was fine so we went out to the park and had fun me skating, the kids on bikes and my mother walking the dog. A couple of hours later we returned to the house and it hurt, aching, throbbing, so I just settled to rest. My arm always felt cold so Mum slinged it (she's a nurse) and I covered it with my jacket and read and rested. Now I've been home and I'm typing and so long as I don't move the wrist it's fine. It's definately sprained and I'm bruised. *shrugs* I'm not so fussed about being hurt, if anything my pride copped the most damage. Here I am remembering how great a skater I always was and then I fall and hurt myself. I keep reminding myself that if I hadn't been a great skater I'd have hurt myself or maybe even Kaylie more than I did. I also think back on all the falls I took. Falling is just part of skating and while my osteo problems meant my kneecaps are shot and my wrists are weak I've fallen hundreds of times and not hurt myself. It makes me realise that I'm getting older. So, I'm feeling a bit silly and a bit old. Still, I'm never going to put my skates away. I'm deliberately having my garage cemented this week. It's been in the plans for two months now and my whole intention all that time is to give me my own rink. Somewhere to skate.  I love it and falls happen. Still, means careful typing over the next week or two while it heals.Meanwhile, time to get to bed and let it rest. And tomorrow I think we'll all be walking to school because I can't push the pram. *chuckles and grins* But as soon as that cement dries, I'll be in there skating, and spinning and leaping, going backwards, and crossing. The years fade away when I skate, and I become one with everything. Skating and writing. Both give me the freedom to be anything and both bring me a peace and comfort that I've never found anywhere else. |
| After yet another morning struggling to write I gave up. Not really gave up the idea of writing but I decided it was pointless sitting starting at a screen trying to force myself to do anything when nothing was inspiring me. I decided that I'd worked hard this week, and I was happy with what I have accomplished. I decided that today I'd step back, take the pressure off and give myself permission to NOT WRITE. I'm still here for my blog but I'm not trying to rework a poem, or do reviews, or finish a story, or even edit my book. Today from about 11AM I'd given myself a day off. In a vocation like writing, one where we are our own boss, it's sometimes hard to remember that you need to rest and recharge. It's impossible to write 8 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year and be happy. I validate that with the be happy because I suppose someone COULD force themselves to write like that but they'd wipe themselves out and come to hate the art. Today I woke up feeling horrible. I sat down at the computer feeling horrible. I powered up and started at the screen feeling horrible. I answered my email and I contemplated a review or two, even managed to write a couple. Read over some blogs. Opened chat. And still, hours later I was feeling like I was dragging my mind trying to wake up. Eventually I called it quits. Gave myself permission not to work today and headed back to bed with a book. Thankfully it was one of my writing books. One of my new ones and I was laying in bed reading I was clicking and thinking and feeling with the words on the page. Then an amazing thing happened. Ideas started flowing, churring, bubbling to get out. I snatched up my bedside notepad and scrawled them as they came to mind and part of me was saying get up, go write about this now. Another part of me realised that it's entirely possible I was just procrastinating having to finish the book so I kept reading and jotting and reading and jotting. Come dinner time I was smiling and closing the cover of the book. I'd completed it. I'd read the book cover to cover, absorbed bits and peices in the first reading. But what's more is I was coming away refreshed, feeling empowered. And even more than that I had pages full of notes. I had topics to write about, a quote here or there, theme concepts, characters, content. I came away having new goals and a clearer insight into what I was doing wrong and how I'd been expecting too much of myself. I can't do everything. I have a passion, a yearning, to write. My greatest joy come from feeling my words flowing on a page and it's when this flow is blocked by expecting more than just words from myself that I get stressed, frustrated, angry with myself. So today I gave myself permission not to write. And I give myself permission not to write tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm going to play with my kids. Everything else doesn't matter. Tomorrow I'm not a writer I'm just a Mum. Tomorrow is just for them. On Monday after getting dressed and getting my daughter to school, after putting a load of laundry in the machine, turning the dishwasher on, making the beds and pouring myself a cup of tea I'm going to power up and I'm going to write. Everything else doesn't matter. I just want to feel the words on the page. I want to find the joy in doing this again. I can have fun doing other things as well but first and foremost I have to remember that it's putting fresh words on the page that matters most to me. Not laboring to perfect a poem I wrote weeks ago. Not reviewing other peoples writing. Not spending hours chatting away and avoiding thinking of anything else. It might seem selfish but hell, I'm entitled to be selfish sometimes. When I've given myself permission to write, and I've accomplished the writing time I want in the day THEN I can do things to please other people. Then I can give back to my community. Then I can look back on things written in the past. But before then, I'm going to write. |
| Ever felt like you're just writing words to fill the void? That's what I feel like at the moment. It's an hour past the time I usually plan to write my blog and I'm feeling totally uninspired. I've been feeling uninspired all day. I keep feeling like there is so much I need to get done in every aspect of my life that it's so overwhelming I can't concentrate on doing anything. At the moment when it comes to writing I have poems to rewrite (lots and lots of poems), two short stories to write/finish, my novel to edit, my poetry group to coax along, and a whole bunch of books I want to read. That's not to mention the reviews and port raids I want to get done here and the contests I want to write new content for and enter. Sometimes it just feels like the list of To-Do grows so much faster then things are getting checked off it. Perhaps I should start scheduling my day a little more strictly so that I feel like I'm getting things done in each area. The trouble then becomes prioritising what's more important. Obviously I love writing poetry and perfecting my poetry but I feel guilty doing that because my novel is still sitting there unedited. And yet if I focus on my novel very little else gets done. Then if I focus on the shorts or the poetry I just keep having more and more of it to write and the novel doesn't start moving up the list. And reviews. I could review all day and each review takes about 20 minutes. I have so many things I've promised myself or the author I'd review and they keep building up because there is an overwhelming amount of content on this site. When I review sometimes I feel like I'm letting myself down because I could spend the time working on my own writing and I have to remember that reviewing makes me a stronger writer too. Blog reading doesn't help. There are so many great people here to read and while my list is smaller then many of the people I read it still takes time in my day and there just never seem to be enough hours. I'm also looking after my kids in all this. Taking time to check they get regular meals, are clean and dry, my daughter gets to and from school, get to bed on time, and are safe and happy all day. The house always needs working on. From dishes, to mopping floors, to laundry, cleaning the toilet and bathroom, vacuuming, picking up toys. It all just seems to be a vicious circle. *sighs* So basically I'm feeling overwhelmed and underwhelmed today. It's all too much and I wonder if I'll ever accomplish anything that I really want. Perhaps I should let my dreams guide me. I want to be a published novelist, perhaps that means I should make my book my number one priority at the moment. Put aside everything else until that's finished? But then I can't help but wonder if there is a fatalistic reason it's not getting looked on at the moment. Everything happens for a reason and maybe it's not the right time? OMG too many deep and meaningfull questions on a brain that is just fed up with thinking. I'm going to fall this my blog for blogging's sake. It makes the day blue and then I'm going to take one of the books I want to knock off my list and get to bed and read till the book is finished before turning off the light. |
| *chuckles* Ok, so I was minding my own business last night. Working like I work and chatting like I chat when all of a sudden the world disappears. *pauses for dramatic effect* Well not literally obviously but since I spend so much time online sometimes it feels like the real world to me. More so then the real, real world feels. So when my connection died and wouldn't resurrect last night I was very lost and sad. A few weeks ago I applied to switch my broadband connection to a new service provider and I knew it was due to happen any day now so I wasn't too surprised or worried. It did mean I didn't get my blog up at the same time I normally do and meant that once again you all missed out on my Limericks thoughts. The good news is that this morning I was able to get the connection up and running with the new service provider and even better is that the new service is double the speed of the old one. *grins* If you thought you had trouble keeping up with my chatter before now I can do it twice as fast.  Ok, so my little bouncing of joy and happiness over my new connection is done. Onward to LIMERICKS... My new friend, GregRyan  created a contest for all poets and even non-poets out there in WDC land. I think sometimes when we're heavy into the writing frame of mine (I know you blog addicts don't remember that do you?  ) Anyway, when we're putting our all into getting everything perfect in anything we right it's draining and sometimes you forget to have fun. I know sometimes I get so frustrated with my writing that it's tempting to yell, "NO MORE!!!"What I love about limericks is that they're lighthearted. Their short, simple, and when done right give a delighted chuckle. In a way limericks say, "It's ok not to take yourself so seriously all the time". and sometimes I think we all need to be reminded of that. Limericks are a deceptively simple form. Some rules claim more complexity then others and thankfully "Invalid Item"  sticks to the basics. All limericks should follow the aabba rhyme scheme and this isn't difficult to accomplish. The only other requirement for many of todays limericks is that they have a humorous twist.There is however so much more to crafting limericks as they were originally formed. The extended rules includes a specific meter although the meter required is sometimes debated about. Following is some of what wikipedia.com has to say about the limerick poetry form: "The rhyme scheme is usually 'A-A-B-B-A', with a rather rigid meter. The first, second, and fifth lines are three metrical feet; the third and fourth two metrical feet. The foot used is usually the amphibrach, a stressed syllable between two unstressed ones. However it can be considered an anapestic foot, two short syllables and then a long, the reverse of dactyl rhythm. However, many substitutions are common." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_(poetry) Getting into the talk of feet can be confusing to new (and even some not-so-new) poets. It gets easier to follow with practice so bare with me. *grins* A metric foot is usually a connection of syllables. The types of feet each have different names depending on which of those syllables are stressed. An iamb for example (used in sonnets) is one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. da-DUM. In limericks the two common metric feet used are: Amphibrach and Anapest. And An amphibrach foot consists of an unstressed syllable, followed by a stressed and then another unstressed. da-DUM-da An anapest is two unstressed followed by a stressed. da-da-DUM. The most common limerick tends to be an iamb followed by two anapests on the first, second, and fifth lines. da-DUM, da-da-DUM, da-da-DUM. (The debate generally that this same line might be two amphibrach's followed by an iamb.) Another acceptable variation tends to be: da-DUM-da, da-DUM-da, da-DUM-da. That's three amphibrachs. Really it doesn't matter so long as the meter is consistent on lines one, two, and five. Lines three, and four also follow a meter, one iamb foot and one anapest (or amphibrach then iamb). Again, not important which so long as they match. See what I mean about there being more than a rhyme scheme involved when writing limericks in the more detailed rules of the form? Some poets who've used limericks include: Edward Lear, Ogden Nash, William Shakespeare, Edward Gorey, Isaac Asimov, John Ciard, Gershon Legman, and even The Beatles. I, as you might have noticed by my lengthy ramble, find poetry forms particularly interesting. There is so much more about limericks I haven't mentioned here and if you'd like to know more I'd suggest the link I posted about. Wikipedia is a treasure trove when it comes to information like this. So, there you have it, limericks. *grins* I challenge myself to write all my form poetry exactly to the most complex detail of form rules. Not that I always succeed but it certainly makes it much more interesting to try. It's also so very rewarding to get it right. Now you're all inspired to try your own limericks so go on of and give it a go and then enter it into Greg's contest, "Invalid Item" I'd love to read what you come up with and I'll review. If you mention having attempted to follow the extended rules I'll review with those in mind, otherwise I'm happy just to go with the simplified variance. The most important part of writing limericks is to have fun. They're supposed to be light-hearted and comedic. It's a nice break from some of the usually turgent emotions that make up the majority of poetry. |
| Sorry was taking a little wander past some webcomics I occassionally read and came across this. Couldn't help but want to share it with you all. I think it describes most of us when it comes to the way we see our own work. It certainly is perfect for me. lol http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_672.php |
| [Post script added as pre warning: Beware, long, rambling, almost pointless blog. Read at your own risk and I won't hold it against you if you don't start or don't finish.] I'm not going to write about Limericks today like I said I might yesterday. Why not? Cause I just don't the hell want to. *hears the whispers of "ohhh she swore"* Yeah, deal, that's why I stick the 18+ up there. So I have the freedom to be shitty and uncensored when I want to. *takes a deep breath* Seriously though I'm not in a truely bitchy mood. I guess I'm just stressed and a little disappointed and frustrated with myself today. I feel like I've accomplished very little. In a writing sense that is because I have actually had a very full day. It started with me unable to sleep this morning so I got up about 7AM (half an hour before the alarm) and loaded up the PC to check my regular and WDC email. Of course there was a fair bit of mail to sort through and by the time I next looked at the clock it was 8AM and the kids hadn't stirred so I had to go wake them up and rush through the morning routine to get my oldest to school on time. Now if it were just any other school day this wouldn't have been a big deal. We'd have been ready in 30 minutes no problem and out the door on time. But today was a special dress up day at my daughter's school so I had to ensure she had her school uniform on and then a pretty fairy dress over the top. We also gathered a special lunch to make her special day even specialer (is that a word?) Not only was it a special day for my daughter but a special day for me and my son. I'd made plans to head into the city to visit my sister. For those of you who don't know, I have no car. So a trip into the city (normally a 30 minute drive) involves a 45 minute walk to the train station, a 45 minute train trip, and 10 minute bus trip, and a 5 minute walk because I got of a bus station late. It's the first time I've visited my sister at her new workplace so I was already anxious about finding the place. *pauses and takes another deep breath* Ok I'm rambling, sorry, let me get back on track here. Basically I had a great day out. While a little stressful to begin with once I'd found the place it was a lot of fun. We went up to King's Park (about 20 minutes walk) and enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch with baby boy enjoying a run around in the grass and seeing the native birds and the incredible view over the Swan River and the panorama of the city. I think a more intricate bridge would complete Perth's charm although I suspect there would be concern that we're trying to outclass the Sydney Harbour. After lunch I walked another hour (remember all this walking include pushing a pram with a two year old in it) back down to city center and browsed a book store. This was easily the highlight of my day because by the time I reached the store Josh had conked out in the pram and I had a chance to spend as long as I liked browsing the shelves without worrying he'd get bored. I also have a little cash spare to splurge on myself thanks to tax rebates and baby bonuses. I bought 7 new books all of them about writing. I feel like 7 Christmases have come at once. It's wonderful to be able to treat myself with a gift like that for a change.Then it was back to the train station for a 45min trip then as I was getting ready to get off the train I noticed a Finding Nemo school bag hanging on the handle of the pram. I put her bag there on the walk to school if she's opted not to carry it. Actually USUALLY she wears it to school and it goes on the pram for the trip home. Her bag of course has her special lunch in it and by now it's 2:30 in the afternoon and from the train station I had a 20min walk to her school to pick her up when school finished at 3PM. OMG I'm such a terrible mother. At least that was my thought. Ironically my sister and I had earlier that day talked about the various faux pas I'd made as a mother in my time. So on the walk I texted her this brand new one. I spent the walk feeling wracked in guilt and wondering if someone had taken pity on her and provided her with lunch or if my precious little girl was starving. I expected her to come rushing at me with tears proclaiming, "I can't find my bag and I didn't get any lunch!!!" She came out full of smiles, bubbling about having such a fantastic day. I actually had to calm her chatter to find out if she'd noticed we'd forgotten her school back and if she had infact eaten. She even had to take a moment to remember what she'd done about lunch. I was amazed to hear that my precious little girl, with no prompting, went over to the canteen and explained the situation to the lovely ladies there. They gave her a sandwich. Tomorrow I'm going to write a thank you letter, include some cash and drop it into the lunch order box when I take Kaylie to school. So, I got home after yet more walking (20 mins from school to home) and had planned to spend the afternoon working. So sat down and moaned softly loving the feel of my hips bent and my legs elevated. It was good to sit down after all that walking. I turned on the computer, checked my mail, twiddled around trying to figure out where to focus and knowing there is so much I need to do but not having the direction or motivation to pick any particular topic because if I picked one then I'm neglecting another. In the end I gave up and pulled up the chat room and hung out there. Forge and I managed to accomplish a few things together. I helped him with his new in and out {item:} and he helped me tweak {item:} (still tweaking and v2 isn't available yet) So the night isn't a total right off. Plus I've splattered up this blog entry which was definately on my list to be done by midnight. *smiles* I'm feeling better now. *chuckles* Writing it all down like this has made me see how much I HAVE got done today. On transit I did do a little writing and idea jotting. I did a little tweaking here and there of poems. I had a great day out and my daughter had a great day at school and proved how mature she's getting. Overall, I can't be too displeased with that. On that note I'm going to wrap and say g'night. Maybe Limericks will come up tomorrow. No promises although if you're itching to find out what I have to say about them then let me know. If there is a demand then I'll make it more of a priority. *grins and waves* |
| [1AM WDC TIME] - Note to Self: Today's entry will be all about Pensive. Note to everyone else: Yeah sometimes I need to keep a note so I don't forget. I mean my blog writing time isn't for another 8 hours at least and a lot happens in my Gemini mind between now and then. FWIW Pensive just saved you all the horror of reading about Limericks, those I will deliberate over tomorrow unless some other topic comes up that takes precedence.[PLACEHOLDER GOES HERE] [10AM WDC TIME] *settles in for a character review and grins wickedly in Pensive's direction, cackling softly* Alright then... The time has come for me to horribly embarress a particularly incredible person. *gulps at suddenly being struck wordless* Um... You know I think my biggest problem is that Pensive and I haven't really know each other long. I mean I've been away from WDC for months now, 7 months I was away in fact and have only been back about 2 but it's only in the last week or so that I started to get to know Pensive. You know I'm still trying to decide if Pensive is male or female. *blushes* I keep going to write SHE and then going hang on maybe it's a he. *blushes some more and looks pleadingly at Pensive for forgiveness* How am I supposed to write about someone if I don't even know what their gender is. The worst thing is part of my brain is telling me we've already covered the matter. *chuckles* This flicker of memory that makes me think it's come up before. But I've looked over my comments in Pensive's blog and Pensive's comments in mine and our emails and can't find any mention. Should I just alternate between saying He/She? Or write it s/he? Or just keep what I've done so far in this entry and say Pensive this and Pensive that as if I'm so enfatuated I can't stop saying the name. *starts to wonder how many times in one entry I could get away with saying it without sounding rediculous and then begins to suspect I started sounding rediculous back at the first sentence.* Anyway, Pensive is warm-hearted and charming with a wit (or is that twit) and charisma that is unlike any other. It's amazing how each person I've met in WDC seems so unique. Sure they say that no two people are ever the same but I'd have thought more people would be very similar to each other then we find here. Pensive is most definately unlike any person I've ever come across before. Curious and inspired to learn, Pensive's blog "Invalid Item" asks questions like, "What are perks?", "Where is a packet of Depends to handle American incontinents?" *grins* Sorry I'm stick chuckling over that one Pensive, couldn't help but bring it up.Beyond being sincerely interested in the world and the people in it, Pensive CARES about people. Honestly cares. Not just seeming to care like a great many people seem to in this modern age, but true friendship and concern for other beings. Pensive wonders over the lives of fellow bloggers and misses them, actively seeking out favorites when they've been absent. Asking after friends just to know they're safe and hoping their happy. Of course the best thing about Pensive is that when I cried "LOOK AT ME!!!" Pensive did. *chuckles* For those who haven't already noticed I have a pretty deep-seated insecurity complex. All my life I've felt insignificant, over-looked, forgotten, unnoticable, ignored. More recently I'd like to think that I'm coming out of my shell more and putting myself out there and I guess I've been getting a little blatent about it sometimes. *blushes* But Pensive noticed this little bubble of energy dancing about in the blog comments and said, "Yep, she's a likeable enough person." (at least I hope that was the thought, I mean it could as easily have been, "God I better write about her so she'll shut up and stop whinging.") *shakes head and tries to focus on positive thoughts about myself* Pensive took me under wing and gave me what I begged for and so much more. It was incredible to be seen and while the comments were supposedly insults they weren't at all. They captured things about me that I wasn't sure anyone noticed. They teased light-heartedly and with such warm that I really felt cared about and it makes me hope that the friendship developing between us will continue to grow. Thank you Pensive. I don't have you way with being funny and a "100%USDA approved smart ass" *winks* So you'll just have to deal with a heartfelt gush instead. *smothers you in hugs* |
| Um, It's 12:30 and I should have been in bed at least 30 minutes ago but I'm scrambling to wrap up a few things I was in the middle of and didn't want to put off till tomorrow. That includes todays blog. Just forgive me for it being a rushed and unfocused one. Um... I had thought up a really great topic for today but I've forgotten what it was. *pouts* So I'll grab another topic, reviewing, and ramble on that for a few before sleeping. *winks* The other day NS needs a new muse a member of "Invalid Item" introduced me to a contest he runs that focuses on reviewing. I've never been a prolific reviewer and couldn't even imagine how someone could possibly review nearly 200 items in a single week. I mean this version of myself has been a member of WDC a year and only just crossed the 100 reviews total threshold.Anyway, I signed up and today spent the day doing mostly reviewing. I accomplished 13 reviews and of that I'm very proud. My goal was 15 but I stopped at 13 due to a discouragement issue and restored my energies for tomorrow. Still I'm delighted by my 13 reviews. Each review takes me about 20 minutes and I feel like they are detailed and offer a great wealth of feedback to the writer. OMG I can't believe how 'up myself' that just sounded. I freely admit I'm not the worlds greatest reviewer so I don't really mean that I'm the greatest. I think what I mean is that I KNOW I've done it to the best of my ability and you can't ask for more than that. I also found that I really enjoy reviewing. The only rub of the matter is that because I'm a professional copyeditor I could be getting paid for doing the rewriting for people instead. *chuckles* But it's a writing site and so offering feedback on how THEY can rewrite it is more benifitial to them then me doing it for them. Author's Note: Please beware that I do NOT copyedit my blog entries. They are always posted as is (brain vomit) and while I attempt to avoid or correct any major gaffs I in no way consider this a forum for displaying my skill with words. As such if anyone's considering hiring me as a copy editor please don't judge my professional ability on the quality of my blog entries. Yeah has to be ego involved there thinking that anyone here might be considering hiring a copyeditor of my likes. *chuckles* I'm rambling and I should be sleeping. Anyway what was my point? Oh, um, I'm enjoying the Reviewing and I recommend everyone take up NS's challenge. Even if you don't enter the contest do some reviews. Being a reviewer makes you a better writer. Because in seeing the faults in other peoples works we are more likely to be able to find them in our own. Having said that I wish I could critique my own works in the way I review others. *frowns* I guess I just can't get enough objectivity when it comes to my own writing. I'm always reading what I'd meant to say instead of what I did. I guess that's why all writers need reviewers and editors. *takes a deep breath thankful to have come to an end of sorts and then promptly zonks to sleep on the keyboard, QWERTY imbedding in my forehead* |
| *sneaks about trying not to be noticed still awake when I said I'd head to bed for 10PM tonight and it's 30 past already but I HAVE to post my blog so shush and bare with me (glances at Forge - yeah you know I mean you most of all)* Um... Well... Ok... First let me beg humble forgiveness for the following post and the short dit that just proceeded it. My only excuse is that I didn't sleep last night and it's all the fault of, *dun dun dun dun* THE WDC CHAT ROOM. I've been around WDC in various forms for years. Yes I was here when WDC wasn't even WDC. It used to be *pauses for dramatic effect* stories.com I don't remember SDC being a widely used term however although I can't imagine why it wouldn't have been. You know that was ages ago. That was so long ago I don't even remember how long ago it was. But then I don't remember how long ago lunch was either. WDC has gone through a lot of changes over the years. It's still yellow. Actually it's some variant color, shades between yellow and white and something else but I've no idea what color it might be called. Speaking of color we had TWO scintillating conversations relating to that very topic in *dun dun dun dun* THE WDC CHAT ROOM last night. Did you know some idiot has gone and give a color the name WATERFALL. Seriously this flabbergasted me. How can anyone even consider claiming that a single color could possible be the color of a waterfall. Waterfalls are an intricate blend of so many shades and tones and hues. The color rose also saddens me. A rose is not always rose in color. Where do they get off being so broad and blatant as so call THAT color rose. And if there is a vermillion rose in your garden was wasn't the color we call vermillion given the name rose instead. You begin to see the deep and meaningful discussions that gave me reason not to sleep last night. I've wandered around WDC for years and there have been new additions. Back in the day there weren't no blogs. OMG How did we survive. I think most of us actually did more 'writing'. You know stories and poetry and novels. That stuff we write blogs to avoid writing. *nods sagely* There are also lots of other additions to the site that never used to be there and I know SM and SMs are always working hard on more features and on improving all those features already here. Kudos and a million thanks to those two. I know everyone here at WDC appreciates all your efforts over all these years. Oh BTW I heard a rumor that the WDC Writers Conference is to be no more. I sincerely hope this isn't true.  While I've never had the opportinuty to attend before I was very much hoping that I'd have the chance to save up for 2007 or 2008 or 2009 and fly up there to hang with WDCers face to face. The array of articles and commentaries that members who attended always wrote after each smashing event made it very clear they were ALWAYS a success. What on earth could possibly end these joys and surely we as a community can pull together to figure out a way to keep the WDC Conferences happening.Ok, heartfelt appeal over, back on track. *dun dun dun dun* THE WDC CHAT ROOM. *grins* I FOUND IT!!!! It's been around a while now. I'm not sure how long exactly. I believe it had been a fairly recent addition when I had occassion to lose my way to the site back in November which makes me think it's about a year or between a year and two years old. But for me it's 48 hours old and it's already CHANGED MY LIFE!!! I got curious about the link. It's pretty over there on the left of the screen (or is it the right of the screen cause if the screen were looking at us it would on the screens right) *remembers she really does need to sleep and shakes her head to clear cobwebs* It's this pretty link that says simple, "Chat". I have a thing for clicking/touching/meddling with things that are pretty or shiny or bright red with signs that say "Don't Touch" or "Hazardous". I'm like the cat you can't convince of the mundaneness of the tumble drying. It's white, it's square, and it's got this dark little cubby hole. It HAS to be interesting. Seriously. Anyway, so I clicked the link and up popped: TEN MILLION SECURITY WARNINGS!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! SOME EVIL CRETON IS TRYING TO POP UP A NEW BROWSER WINDOW. IT'S SPAM I TELL YOU... SPAM!!!! Ok so I had to go fiddle around a little to give WDC exclusive access to present me with spam, pop ups, random encounters of unnatural varieties but after doing so I tryed the link again and up popped: *dun dun dun dun* THE WDC CHAT ROOM. WOOT!!! Of course it was empty. Void of life. But I left it up for a little bit and people came in and we said "Hi" and since we were in a chat room we figured it was probably a good idea to attempt to chat. And people came and people went and there were so many fun and friendly faces over the 24+7 hours I spent in there this weekend that I'm addicted. Yes I claim it. "Hi, I'm Rebecca and I'm a WDC Chat Addict." *wonders if there are choruses of "Hi Rebecca." at the meating. I know there are other chat addicts cause I met a couple of them but I don't know if they're beyond the denial stage yet. We talked and talked for hours and hours and the topics were vast and enthralling and sometimes very particularly scary. It ranged from writing, to colors, to programming, snow, holidays, to sex, to religion, to poetry, to mental health, to social politics, to STAR WARS YODAISMS!!! I warned you things did occassionally get scary. We chatted onto people, countries, languages, to movies, and music which included both popular hits and instrumental, and the meaning of life which is invariably either 42 or cheese and the debates on the issue continue. We ventured into writing frequently, and reviewing, and sharing each others writing and reviewing. We covered Shakespeare heartedly, and Harry Potter too, returned to Star Wars both as a topic and recurring Yodaisms. There were occassions to digress into piratics. The best thing about it all was that pretty much everyone who wandered through chat, and even more particularly the ones who hung there a while had something really interesting to say about whatever the topic was at the time. Just as we've found in our wandering on the streets of Blogville and as keeps amazing me profusely there are PEOPLE out here in this intricate weave of 1's and 0's (yes binary came up at one point and so did pixelature) that are really very nice, interesting and inspiring. "I'm Rebecca, and I'm a WDC Chat Addict" and while after so many hours of getting very little done but chatting I do appreciate that this addiction needs to be kept in firm hand I make no appologies. I LOVE CHAT! and I'll continue to frequent it. To all the great friends I made there, Hi, and thanks so much for baptising me to WDC Chat so brilliantly. I hope even more of us find our way to the shiny button over there that says, "Chat". If you haven't ventured there yourself yet then I recommend trying it sometime. If it's quiet in there just wait a little, or come back on a different hour, because when things liven up a little it's always a great deal of fun. Ok Forge, I'm going to bed now. G'night everyone and for those whom it's daytime, have a great day. *waves* |
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