My brain hurts…
Writing is something that I’ve always enjoyed, and something which has never been overly difficult for me. That’s not to say I haven’t struggled to bring a story to a conclusion that made sense, and was also entertaining, or that I haven’t tried to figure out why a character behaved a certain way, but it’s more of an artistic challenge than a painful struggle. It’s kind of an enjoyable pain, like choking down that last chocolate chip cookie even though you’re full, because there is no sense in leaving just one.
But as I embark on a “professional” writing career, I find I have to write things that aren’t compelling in order to get published, get clips, get “out there,” and yes, make a buck. I am working on a series of articles for a web content provider about things to do in my hometown. Interesting? Maybe. Compelling? Definitely not. Couple this with having to write on breaks from my “real” job, or after all the kids have gone to bed, and I’m not at my peak. I tried writing with my three year old daughter on my lap a couple of days ago. Well, I think I can salvage the keyboard once the Coke dries, and I take it apart and clean it…
But I’ve got to work my chops, put in the time, pay my dues. At least I’m not trying to write while working off my passage on a whaling ship. Harpooning animals makes me queasy. And I’m using a computer rather than a manual typewriter in a bumpy railroad boxcar with a scruffy guy named Willy who chews tobacco and drinks wood alcohol.
It could be worse.
So even though my brain hurts, and I’ve Googled myself into a site that showcases local weasel wrestling tournaments, I guess I shouldn’t complain. At least I’m pursuing my dream.
Did they just harpoon that weasel?
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Hey bloggers, writers, and everybody -
I haven't added to this blog in a while, as I have been in research mode. As I've mentioned, I am a writer, and I've recently been investigating freelance writing opportunities.
What I’ve learned about freelance writing…
I could regurgitate what I’ve learned so far here, but I would be doing an injustice to those expert writers, bloggers, web designers, and others in the know from whom I have been garnering information. One of the best places I’ve found for freelance writing newbies is writersrow.com. There’s a link in the sidebar entitled “for writers.” Check it out.
“She’s a wizard, Harry!”
On another note, I can hardly believe what I am reading about J.K. Rowling and her latest Harry Potter book (I think the title is “Harry Potter and the Ha Ha I’m the Richest Woman in England”). There is hope for all writers out there to knock that big one out of the park (or nab the golden snitch if you prefer Quidditch) Keep plugging away! By the way, there was an interesting story on writenews.com’s writers’ blog about the editor who passed on Rowling and her first Harry Potter book. Oops!
On a family note…
We are going to attempt a pseudo-camping experience in August. As you know from a previous post, when my family travels, it’s always an adventure. I’m calling it pseudo-camping because we are renting a cabin that has a refrigerator, stove, microwave, and a bathroom. I could convince my wife of nothing less. She fears – with good cause - that the boy will end up in a river, lake, forest fire, landslide, or belly of a bear. So we’ll take it slow. I’d love to have comments or ideas on places to camp, if anyone would care to leave one.
Keep on writing (or whatever else you do), and stay connected. Blog on...
I haven't added to this blog in a while, as I have been in research mode. As I've mentioned, I am a writer, and I've recently been investigating freelance writing opportunities.
What I’ve learned about freelance writing…
I could regurgitate what I’ve learned so far here, but I would be doing an injustice to those expert writers, bloggers, web designers, and others in the know from whom I have been garnering information. One of the best places I’ve found for freelance writing newbies is writersrow.com. There’s a link in the sidebar entitled “for writers.” Check it out.
“She’s a wizard, Harry!”
On another note, I can hardly believe what I am reading about J.K. Rowling and her latest Harry Potter book (I think the title is “Harry Potter and the Ha Ha I’m the Richest Woman in England”). There is hope for all writers out there to knock that big one out of the park (or nab the golden snitch if you prefer Quidditch) Keep plugging away! By the way, there was an interesting story on writenews.com’s writers’ blog about the editor who passed on Rowling and her first Harry Potter book. Oops!
On a family note…
We are going to attempt a pseudo-camping experience in August. As you know from a previous post, when my family travels, it’s always an adventure. I’m calling it pseudo-camping because we are renting a cabin that has a refrigerator, stove, microwave, and a bathroom. I could convince my wife of nothing less. She fears – with good cause - that the boy will end up in a river, lake, forest fire, landslide, or belly of a bear. So we’ll take it slow. I’d love to have comments or ideas on places to camp, if anyone would care to leave one.
Keep on writing (or whatever else you do), and stay connected. Blog on...
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Well, with summer now one day old, the thoughts of many parents turn to ideas for family travel.
Vacationing with your children can be a very rewarding experience for both parents and children. Much can be learned and shared, and great bonds can be forged. I vividly recall childhood trips with my parents and brothers, and with the tempering of time, the memories are fond. I’m sure that on a journey from New York to Oregon in a station wagon loaded with three boys and two adults there may have been a few skirmishes and lost tempers. I bet that even the Pioneers, trekking across America in search of land and opportunity, had one sibling in the back of the old Conestoga chiding another with I’m not touching ye. But it has been said that tragedy plus time equals comedy. And I add: comedy plus time equals pleasant reminiscences.
In honor of all those who would embark on such expeditions this summer, I wish you well, and give you this excerpt from an article I wrote about a trip my family took last April. May your travels be safe, fun and above all, memorable.
“Let’s drive down to visit my dad for Easter,” was my wife’s idea. Sounds good – in theory. The trip to visit my wife’s father is a 900-mile drive from Buffalo, NY to Charleston, SC with four children nine years old and under. Of course, I agreed. Nine years of unrelenting parenting have worn down that part of the brain that contains the “Are you nuts!” programs.
So we loaded the canvas, non-water proof van-top carrier with all of the necessaries: clothing for a week of warmer weather, special blankets and quilts that we can’t sleep without, umbrella stroller and a healthy supply of diapers. There is a mathematical proof that shows Diapers Needed as a multiple of Distance Traveled– i.e., the farther you go, the more often the baby goes. We also loaded the interior of the van with the important family travel items: Barbie and Bratz dolls and accessories, coloring books and crayons, stuffed animals, mini Magna-Doodles, blankies and binkies, story books, Disney travel songs CD, notepads and pencils, laptop (with DVD drive) and a box of DVD’s, including Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues. With the entertainment taken care of (for at least 35 minutes), we added essential nutritional items: a cooler packed with juice boxes, water and energy drinks (for the driver), sandwich fixings, Goldfish crackers, Teddy Grahams, Gogurt, apples, grapes and trail mix.
With the van loaded with 21st century hardtack and fatback, everyone was strapped into their appropriate child safety harnesses. Each child has a designated seat, which is the one and only specific area of the van in which he or she does not want to sit. After some discussion and juxtaposing, everyone settled and we were ready for the first leg of the journey, which meant everyone had to unbuckle and go to the bathroom.
Our first unplanned extended stop occurred about four hours into the trip, in the shadow of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. This is where, at a travel plaza for a potty stop and leg stretch, my son of 20 months – let’s call him Taz – decided to test the tensile strength of asphalt with his forehead. I picked him up, and carried him back to the van, trying hold the wound without benefit of a compress. I signaled to my wife to grab something to stave off the blood flow. She put a tissue on his head, and took him from me so that I could go into the travel plaza and try to obtain some type of bandage. When I returned with a box of Band-Aids and the suggestion we stick one on his head and hit the road, the look on her face cautioned me to come up with another option. She then indicated that I was an idiot as she showed me how, at the right angle, we could actually glimpse my son’s skull bone through the hole in his forehead. Back on the highway, with my wife holding the boy still in the back seat, we followed the blue “H” signs and the almost, but not quite entirely, useless directions from the cashier at the travel plaza to Aultman Hospital’s emergency room. If you have to have stitches in Canton, OH, I recommend Aultman Hospital. They have a nice waiting area for kids, with books and the Cartoon Network and a candy machine, in case you need to practice pronouncing “no.” Two hours and 14 stitches later, we were back on the road.
Vacationing with your children can be a very rewarding experience for both parents and children. Much can be learned and shared, and great bonds can be forged. I vividly recall childhood trips with my parents and brothers, and with the tempering of time, the memories are fond. I’m sure that on a journey from New York to Oregon in a station wagon loaded with three boys and two adults there may have been a few skirmishes and lost tempers. I bet that even the Pioneers, trekking across America in search of land and opportunity, had one sibling in the back of the old Conestoga chiding another with I’m not touching ye. But it has been said that tragedy plus time equals comedy. And I add: comedy plus time equals pleasant reminiscences.
In honor of all those who would embark on such expeditions this summer, I wish you well, and give you this excerpt from an article I wrote about a trip my family took last April. May your travels be safe, fun and above all, memorable.
“Let’s drive down to visit my dad for Easter,” was my wife’s idea. Sounds good – in theory. The trip to visit my wife’s father is a 900-mile drive from Buffalo, NY to Charleston, SC with four children nine years old and under. Of course, I agreed. Nine years of unrelenting parenting have worn down that part of the brain that contains the “Are you nuts!” programs.
So we loaded the canvas, non-water proof van-top carrier with all of the necessaries: clothing for a week of warmer weather, special blankets and quilts that we can’t sleep without, umbrella stroller and a healthy supply of diapers. There is a mathematical proof that shows Diapers Needed as a multiple of Distance Traveled– i.e., the farther you go, the more often the baby goes. We also loaded the interior of the van with the important family travel items: Barbie and Bratz dolls and accessories, coloring books and crayons, stuffed animals, mini Magna-Doodles, blankies and binkies, story books, Disney travel songs CD, notepads and pencils, laptop (with DVD drive) and a box of DVD’s, including Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues. With the entertainment taken care of (for at least 35 minutes), we added essential nutritional items: a cooler packed with juice boxes, water and energy drinks (for the driver), sandwich fixings, Goldfish crackers, Teddy Grahams, Gogurt, apples, grapes and trail mix.
With the van loaded with 21st century hardtack and fatback, everyone was strapped into their appropriate child safety harnesses. Each child has a designated seat, which is the one and only specific area of the van in which he or she does not want to sit. After some discussion and juxtaposing, everyone settled and we were ready for the first leg of the journey, which meant everyone had to unbuckle and go to the bathroom.
Our first unplanned extended stop occurred about four hours into the trip, in the shadow of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. This is where, at a travel plaza for a potty stop and leg stretch, my son of 20 months – let’s call him Taz – decided to test the tensile strength of asphalt with his forehead. I picked him up, and carried him back to the van, trying hold the wound without benefit of a compress. I signaled to my wife to grab something to stave off the blood flow. She put a tissue on his head, and took him from me so that I could go into the travel plaza and try to obtain some type of bandage. When I returned with a box of Band-Aids and the suggestion we stick one on his head and hit the road, the look on her face cautioned me to come up with another option. She then indicated that I was an idiot as she showed me how, at the right angle, we could actually glimpse my son’s skull bone through the hole in his forehead. Back on the highway, with my wife holding the boy still in the back seat, we followed the blue “H” signs and the almost, but not quite entirely, useless directions from the cashier at the travel plaza to Aultman Hospital’s emergency room. If you have to have stitches in Canton, OH, I recommend Aultman Hospital. They have a nice waiting area for kids, with books and the Cartoon Network and a candy machine, in case you need to practice pronouncing “no.” Two hours and 14 stitches later, we were back on the road.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Hello fellow bloggers,
This is my first foray into the world of blogging as the initiator of a blog. I hope that it will be able to grow and evolve into something great. Let me start this blog with a bit about me. I am a married father of four with a nascent freelance writing career. I also run a web-based business and work as a vocational counselor for my local county hospital. It is my hope that people with interests in writing, reading, entrepreneurship, and family will post with thoughts, ideas, and advice for others who have these interests. The Internet is a big "place," but it is also a great place for like-minded people to connect and assist each other. I welcome any and all to post and help get this thing rolling.
I wanted to post nothing more than an introduction and invitation today. I will continue to write things that I feel could be helpful, entertaining, or cathartic in future postings. Hope you will join in.
This is my first foray into the world of blogging as the initiator of a blog. I hope that it will be able to grow and evolve into something great. Let me start this blog with a bit about me. I am a married father of four with a nascent freelance writing career. I also run a web-based business and work as a vocational counselor for my local county hospital. It is my hope that people with interests in writing, reading, entrepreneurship, and family will post with thoughts, ideas, and advice for others who have these interests. The Internet is a big "place," but it is also a great place for like-minded people to connect and assist each other. I welcome any and all to post and help get this thing rolling.
I wanted to post nothing more than an introduction and invitation today. I will continue to write things that I feel could be helpful, entertaining, or cathartic in future postings. Hope you will join in.
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