Writing Tips for your Journey
September 30, 2006
Tips for your writing journey
So, you’d like to be a writer? Congrats! Writing not only is a great way to express yourself, but can provide an income. Keep in mind not all writers make a fortune, some still cant quit their day job. Below are some tips to start your writing journey.
1.Start Writing
Okay, so this tip is obvious. For some, it’s a question of what to write about, for others how to write. Write how and what you want. What kind of books do you like to read? Fiction, Mystery, science fiction, how to books? How about articles, reports, maybe you’re interested in journalism. Whatever the case may be, to get your creative juices flowing, start writing! Don’t worry about how it sounds, grammar or other mistakes, you can go back to fix these.
2.Join online and offline groups/message boards and chats
If you already know what you want to write about, consider joining writer groups at your local library, or online groups, along with message boards and chats. It’s a great way to network with other writers and published authors. It’s also a good place to share your work and receive feedback. Many places online are free to join, some require a membership which usually consist of a user name, e-mail address and password for your user name. Some request more information such as a name, address and sometimes phone number.
Does The World Need More Cats?
September 30, 2006
Aren’t they cute? Yes, they are! A nest of meowing and crawling little kittens leaves only the fiercest cat hater indifferent. But does the world need more cats?
A cat is the second most popular pet in the world. People love them for all kinds of reasons. Cats are social, but still have a will of their own. They have sweet faces and love to be hugged, but at the same time they are predators that don’t mind about killing a bird.
In short, cats are fascinating animals. The world would be a boring place without them.
Fact: the world needs cats. But how many?
According to recent figures, in the US alone over two million cats are being put to death each year in animal shelters because there are no homes for them.
That’s shocking. And you can’t blame the animal shelters for that. They do their best, within the limits of their budget. There are just not enough people that want to take care of these cats.
So if you have a pet cat, there is no need for you to breed. Don’t worry, cats will never become scarce. Professional breeders will always be happy to meet the needs of real cat lovers.
Guinea Pigs Health
September 30, 2006
Guinea Pigs make great pets and are fairly easy to care for. They love to be touched and cuddled.
Their Scientific name is Cavia Tschuldi and were discovered in South America. Guinea Pigs are are a rodent.
Have you ever wondered about where they got their name? There are many types of Guinea Pigs.
Over 1,000,000 families in USA alone have them as pets. If you are considering a guinea pig as a pet there are a few things you should be aware of.
But, just like any pet they require a comittment from you as they live for several years. They become a part of the family.
Never keep males and females together as they breed, herd of the saying, “like Guinea Pigs” or 2 males together as they tend to fight to show who is boss.A most important ingredient in a guinea pigs diet is vitamin “C”. Hay is the main stay of their diet. Never feed them rhubarb or raw beens,they are extremely poisous to them.
If you would like to learn all about Guinea Pigs,my book reveals evrything you need to know about haveing a happy healthy pig as a pet.
Guitar Players…Get a Balanced Guitar Practice Diet
September 30, 2006
Do you have a wide variety of things that you practice. Or do you like to binge? (You know…the type of player who practices sweep picking for a kazillion hours a day but only know three chords)!
Having a balanced practice routine is essential if you want to become a versatile guitarist. If you just practice one or two things, sure you’ll get great at those things…but you’ll be weak in other key areas.
In this lesson you’ll learn how to create a practice routine that is well-balanced and will help you work towards your ultimate vision of how you would like to play.
I generally categorise what I practice into one of seven areas:
- Technique.
- Repertoire (Covers).
- Composition.
- Improvisation.
- Ear Training.
- Theory.
- Music Reading.
Everything that you practice will fit into one or more of the above areas. For example, if you are learning a very challenging cover tune by transcribing it off the CD you are essentially working on your technique, repertoire and ear training at the same time. If you also write down the song in standard notation, you will also be developing your music reading skills.
Discover the Writer Hiding Inside You
September 29, 2006
Has the thought run across you mind that you might want to write a column or two? Maybe you thought about writing your own material for your company newsletter. Maybe someone asked you to share your expertise with others by writing a how-to paper. Then the voice of fear spoke up and you decide maybe not this time. "I’m not ready to make that step. I could never write something meaningful. I’m no writer." You say. Well you are dead wrong if you think that way. There is a writer in everyone.
Here are a few tips to get started on the road to writing.
1. Keep a creative idea journal - You don’t have to run out and get a beautiful looking notebook that is supposed to be use just for journalizing. Get yourself an inexpensive spiral binder, open it up and start writing down your thoughts.
2. Pick up a pencil and write ? The next step to finding the writer in you is to pick up your utensil of choice and start writing. Keep your note pad with you at all times. Jot down what you are think about at that moment. Great minds do their best brainstorming this way. Don’t trust yourself to remember everything. You can always go back to your journal and refine your thoughts later.
Boat Timeshares - A Unique Vacationing Experience
September 29, 2006
If you’ve dreamed of sailing the seven seas, but don’t necessarily have the bank account to buy a luxury vessel, don’t despair. There are ways to make that dream happen without breaking your bank.
Boat timeshares offer a unique vacationing experience for almost any budget. By getting involved in a timeshare, you have the right to use that luxury vessel to make your dreams come true, but you alone are not solely responsible for all the expenses. Timeshares provide an excellent way for someone not willing or able to take on the expense of purchasing a great vacationing boat themselves to still experience the adventure of life on the water.
A variety of companies offer would-be Captain Ahab’s the ability to take to the sea without shelling out a lot of cash. Boat timeshare companies and programs are readily available and accessible across the Internet. Boating timeshare companies are active all over the world with even some finding their homes on America’s Great Lakes.
Funniest Pond Stories-Part 1, May 2004
September 29, 2006
Get ready for some gut-wrenching, laugh out loud hilarious pond stories from all over the world…
(Continued from May Issue of PondStuff!)
We had some hilarious, truly gut wrenching, laugh out-loud stories sent in by some of you. Here we’re going to highlight some of the funniest stories for you to read.
We had entries from all over the place (Inluding one all the way from THAILAND!) The competition was fierce, and to be honest - I had a really hard time deciding on one ‘funniest’ story, but here’s a brief rundown of our entries: cats, dogs, and bunnies (?) all taking the Nestea plunge right into the water, a hungry KOI nibbling in dangerous territory, a missing flip flop, an electrifying experience for grandma, fun for the whole family, fish frape, and flying fish to boot!
First, let’s start with this very funny story about ‘Smokey’ - who apparently thinks he can walk on water. This was sent in by Mike Lachance from Maryland:
Funny Pond Story #1
A Playtime Project: The Memory Quilt
September 29, 2006
A friend recently suggested a use for my daughter’s first wardrobe, which I’ve dutifully saved in the back of the closet, and lugged on two long distance relocations. Turns out she’s done the same thing with her daughter’s first clothes, and we’ve decided to make memory quilts. This playtime project preserves my little girl’s everyday playclothes for no other reason than that they are hers.
Having been raised in a somewhat non-sentimental household, I jumped at the chance to engage in something that could possibly boost child emotional development at the same time that it provided a way for my daughter to feel connected to happy childhood events. I suppose it’s my way of compensating for something I always wished I had. By the time I was born, the fascination with baby girls was past, and whatever I used and wore was handed off to Goodwill when I was finished with it.
The project lets you conserve storage space by cutting those favorite 0-3 month outfits into workable squares-or if you’re an experienced quilter, you may feel confident experimenting with different shapes. I’ve never tried this before, so I don’t want to complicate it with my perfectionist tendencies. I want to turn this into something we can do with our daughters-it always surprises me how young children can take to things that we assume are beyond them.
Distemper in Dogs - Home Detection Tips
September 28, 2006
Distemper: Spotting This Dog Killer Before it’s Too Late
Canine distemper is a devastating disease. It often crops up in seemingly healthy pets without any warning. What’s more, distemper often mimics benign problems, like the common cold. This is truly the most insidious aspect of this illness. Sadly, many cases progress to the point where they are no longer treatable before the owner even realizes what’s happened.
How to spot the early signs of distemper
First and foremost, understand that distemper can often be diagnosed very early if regular trips to the veterinarian are scheduled and kept. This cannot be stressed enough, especially for new puppies! Because afflictions like distemper most often strike very young pups when they have weaker immune systems, it’s crucial that owners visit the vet often in the first few weeks of life. Early diagnosis means a chance to survive distemper.
Owners who suspect distemper, but haven’t had the animal seen by a vet yet, can detect it by a couple of signs. First, yellowish-green or dark green discharge from the eyes and nose is a classic symptom. It’s often accompanied by sneezing and general lethargy. Unfortunately, many pet owners assume this is just a sign that their dog has contracted a cold or has allergies and they ignore it.
Freelance Writing: How Many Regular Clients Should You Have?
September 28, 2006
This is a tough question for every freelance writer. For me, the worst working scenario is when a few weeks go by and all my work comprises one-off jobs for small clients who never become repeat customers.
It takes a lot of time finding and developing each new client. That means lots of unbillable hours.
My best scenario is to have three to five repeat clients I can pretty much depend on for work each month. Plus one or two new clients who may or may not turn into repeat customers.
That way, if you lose one repeat client, you’re not in big trouble. You have your other regular clients, plus some more prospects in the ‘hopper’.
>> The two danger scenarios
It is dangerous for you when you have too few clients. I found myself in this situation a couple of years ago. I had one client that was worth over $10,000 a month to me. The result was that they took up a lot of my time and I found myself with very little free time to develop new clients. I had other work, but this one client took up a significant proportion of my time.
