June 2010

A Musical Note: Gordon Lightfoot – Approaching Lavender

June 30, 2010

As promised a few days ago, something special from Gordon Lightfoot.  This song got very little air-play, at least in my neck of the woods for one short, and suggestive bit of lyric. 
Music marks itself in our minds—and helps to form our writing skills—when a melody or a lyric insinuates itself into our lives.  The concept of “our [...]

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Blogosphere: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself

June 30, 2010

Continued from Part Two
New to the Series?  Start with Part One
Blogosphere: A series
Part Three: 10 Questions

Over the next several posts we will discuss some possible answers and solutions to the questions asked below
For now, just ask yourself these 10 complex  and important questions before starting your own Blog:
1.  What will be the purpose of your [...]

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Catatonic: Word of the Day

June 30, 2010

Catatonic, adj.
A muscular rigidity and mental stupor, sometimes alternating with great excitement and confusion.
The shock of seeing the daughter she had long considered dead left her in a catatonic state.
Alternate usage:
“Dang!  Cat threw up on the floor again.”
“Guess we better get him a catatonic.”
How will you use catatonic in a sentence today?
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How Long Should You Write? – Document Lengths

June 30, 2010

Ever wonder how long a particular type of writing should be?  One author I know says, “It is as long as it needs to be”. 
 While this is no doubt true, there is an accepted “official” length for various types of writing.   When I went looking for a list I had seen some years ago, I [...]

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A Musical Note: Buffy Saint-Marie – God is Alive, Magic is Afoot

June 29, 2010

 In 1969 Buffy Saint-Marie released the album “Illuminations”.  It was a resounding failure at that time.  The recording artist went so far as to disavow the album, deleting it from her discography.  But over the years the album has begun to regain favor in the hearts of those who take the time to listen. 
The [...]

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Blogosphere: What Are The Reasons To Start a Blog?

June 29, 2010

Continued from Part One
Blogosphere: A series
Part Two: Reasons to Blog

In our first segment we took a look at the reason not to blog.  If that hasn’t run you off, and you’re not nervous about the competition, perhaps blogging and you are a match after all.  But, let’s be sure, shall we?
What are the reasons to start [...]

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Guttersnipe: Word of the Day

June 29, 2010

Guttersnipe, n.
A homeless vagabond and especially an outcast boy or girl in the streets of a city.
It broke my heart to see the children who had been turned out of the orphanage become guttersnipes.
Alternate usage:
I hadn’t known that there was a homeless military until the day I found someone laying in the street and taking aim [...]

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The Lonely Craft – Another Myth

June 29, 2010

It is said that fiction writing is a lonely occupation, but is that just another myth?
Certainly we spend an inordinate amount of time in solitude, staring out the window, or at a page, but does solitude equal loneliness?  Or better put, must it?
I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time with [...]

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A Musical Note: Bob Seeger – Turn the Page

June 28, 2010

Now and then a band touches a note of melancholy and power within the same song.
Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band did this with “Turn the Page“. 
As with many presentations from Youtube, this too has some graphics, but may I suggest you just turn up the volume, close your eyes, and try to feel [...]

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Blogosphere: Why Bother With a Blog?

June 28, 2010

 
    Blogosphere: A series
    Part One: Why Bother?
Sometimes it feels like Uphill Writing has been around forever.  Blogging has become a very important part of my daily activities, and I feel it is time to share some of the lessons I’ve learned.
We’ll get into some (perhaps) sickening detail down the line, but for now let [...]

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