The G in Gnarled is a letter in the alphabet that twists and turns like the roots of a tree or like aged fingers.
The letter K in Knurled has sharp edges and is similar to the sharp edges or ridges added to a smooth surface to make an object easier to grip.
If you have some ideas that you like to help on these two words, please feel free to share them.
This information is from a panel I listened to a year or so ago. I took notes while attending a wonderful SF/F symposium called Life the Universe and Everything. The panels are very educational. The panelists were: Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury, Lisa Magum, Brad R. Torgersen, Dave Wolverton.
I took a lot of notes on this panel, so make yourself comfortable.
– Submit to writers of the future, every deadline. The advantage of this contest you compete with your peers (starting writers) not professional writers.
– Don’t quit. Don’t give up.
– When you start selling, don’t think you’ve made it. You will still get rejected after selling . Keep submitting.
– If an editor says “No” but also says “do such and such” Pay attention to that.
– You can learn writing by writing. Finishing the first manuscripts you lmove on to the next. Finishing a book can show you what kind of writers you are.
– Learn about: 1. Learn how to write 2. How the business works in publishing and books 3. Learn about publicity. Often a writer will concentrate too much time on one of the above. Study each of the three in a balanced manner
– SFWA.org has good information forwriters.
– Do your homework. Learn about where you want to submit. Also learn the submission requirements such as123 point or font new roman.
– Don’t obsess on over writing. Sometimes if a story doesn’t work, throw it away and start over with the knowledge yo gain writing the first version of the story.
– To get out of the slush pile you must first be in or submit to the slush pile.
– “You have to connect to the right editors at the right time.
– Be prolific. The Pop corn theory is by each kernel of popcorn is a submission. Spread out those subs to multiple opp9rtunites where there’s heat and see which ones pop. Put yourselves in ore places.
– Sometimes writers don’t know their own quality. It may be better than you think it is.
– You don’t have to have a perfect manuscript to submit.
– Even bestselling authors have people who complain. A wonderful story will cover multiple of sins.
– If you can write a great story the grammar can be worked with.
– Caring too much about the pros of the txt can prevent seeing that a wonderful story is what sells the story.
– Be careful about the advice you get from writers. Sometimes take advice with a grain of salt. There are different ways to skin a cat.
– Orson Scott Card offers Hat rack and Nauvoo writing workshops that are on line.
– Benefit of writing groups is that others can evaluate why a story doesn’t work but you learn as well about writing when you evaluate other stories that are not your own. You learn why certain stories don’t work and you apply those observations to your own writing.
– Don’t compare all stories of an anthology or a magazine and compare them against your story. Only seek to learn from the stories you like. Don’t try to duplicate the techniques of a writer you don’t like just because they may be a professional.
– Invest in yourself. One cannot find time to write you need to make time to write. Don’t watch TV or read, it just to delay your writing. Read books on writing and go to conferences.
– Have other people give you deadlines (like editors or a potential market). You an use those deadlines to say no to people who want to divert you away from writing. Even submitting to a writing group can be a useful deadline.
– Stop thinking and talking about writing and get off your butt and treat your writing like a job. Get rid of thinking of your ‘hobby’ mentality.
– You need to network. Be nice to everyone. An employee in a book store may advance up the career latter and later become a purchasing agent. Friendships in former years can sometimes influence you in later years. Recognize that any person you meet may eventually become a mover or a shaker.
– Write both short and long stories. This might be influence by what you read. If a reader tells you that the story feels too short than expand it. Often book publishers may ask short stories to write a book. That story writer than moves to writing books and leaves a vacuums in the short stories area that can be filled by other short story writer.
– Story market looks for new short stories.
– Write a scene that excites you and then rewrite it to put scenes together.
– When you write something, submit to potential readers and get their feedback.
– Each writer concentrates upon different things.
– Check out the book The first five pages by Noah Lukman.
– Do a search on computer to look for all LY words. In your text.
– Macros can do a search and destroy common problems.
– Chicago manual of style= read chapter on punctuation.
– Take responsibi8ty for your career.
– Be honest with yourself. Write what you love and you’ll learn what you don’t know.
– Read books on how to write. Read ones that cause your mind to wonder and makes you think how to implement the principles of writing.
– Stop procrastinating. Start sending your manuscripts out. Don’t try to second guess the editor.
– When you write, finish up the manuscript, send it out and move to the next.
– Pound the pavement – visit schools, book signings.
– Not all agents are created equally.
– Network: each writer can trace their success to someone they met.
– Characterization is a differentiation between characters.
– Stephen King does great characterization.
– Dialog has to sound ‘normal’. Has to sound like real people.
– Internal dialog: what is the character thinking during an event so that the reader will be in a character’s head better.
– Depth: instead of a narrative new report, you want to immerse the reader into the story. Read Jimmy Fincher’s book.
– It’s okay to have patience displayed in your story.
If you’ve been writing for a while, you may have learned a few things along the way as well. Please feel free to share with your experiences or points of knowledge with the readers this blog. Thank you.
One of the nice things about my job, is that we get to sometimes hear presentations on various topics. I took notes on a course that talked about being a positive person, or how to fight depression. I thought I would share my notes with you. Happy reading.
-Check out: authentichappyness.com
-You want to anticipate good things to come
-We have a tendency to remember the negative without out fight or flight mentality. We have to work on being positive.
-Say your positive affirmations just as you wake up in the morning, before your feet hits the floor.
-Do the three Ws. What Went Well today? Review this in the evening.
-Book: taming your gremlins by rick Carson
-Set your goals and make a plan.
-You can change your happiness by consciousness act.
-Review people who make great role models:
-Think of role models in your life.
-Be willing to make real changes in the way you think.
-If you change the way you behave can influence the way you think.
-Seek out and document things you feel gratitude for.
-Take steps to stop negativity around you. Such as avoiding people who gossip.
-Filter the negative people in your life.
-Realize that some people can’t change so don’t stress it about it.
-You can change the direction of negativity by your response.
-A garden is a good way to be positive. Your success can be reflected in your garden. If not that, choose something else.
-Exercise builds your endorphins which add to positivity
-Negatively can put a bad taste in your mouth. Caused by physiological reaction to stress.
-Don’t procrastinate.
-Stop being a perfectionist. Take a chance.
-Think about what you’re thinking and you become what you think.
-ask positive people how to make themselves happy.
-Keep a journal and note what kind of notes you use in your text. Appreciate what you’ve accomplished.
-Anderson cooper interview a dancer who will tells her that she’ll win in spite of having a leg blown off and told not able to dance again.
-Tackle things that are perceived as difficult from a new tactic.
-As a child you could not walk or talk. Now you can.
-Bird house o little seeds can be a pint of pride and joy.
-Seek out ted talks, college courses on line, YouTube.
-Masters can be gained via new tube. Such as repairing an oven.
-Use the internet and be a perpetual learner
-Have a partner/mentor to work together for seeing success.
-Loose the why me
-I need to find a way. Present your open to solve problems.
-Change your habits will change your life.
-Negative people can catch their self-talk by putting a rubber band to alert you to bad thoughts.
-Sometimes for one hard task just dig in intensely to get a hard project over with.
-When you determine how bad things are but when compared to the life lived, it has little sequence.
-Realize you can learn from the mistakes of the past.
-Encourage people that help you stretch in a positive way. See a member for different aspects of your life.
-Journaling can make a good stress reliever. or writing a lot of letters.
-Maybe have some quiet time to contemplate, read scriptures, and mediate.
-Book: unbroken
-Read biographies.
-Watch movies that build you up or show honor.
-Stop 7 minutes of wining.
-Sometime you can exit a frustrating situation. i.e.: if parked in traffic, behind a truck spewing out exhaust, get in a different lane
-Book: 7 habits of highly affective people.
-What would you like your for your death statement to say about you.
-Learn relaxation, mediation and stress relief techniques.
-Filter out people that are negative.
-If people bring up difficult situations (such as a mother who might be ill, and you’re tired of talking about it) learn to be admit that you don’t want to talk about it.
-Have pictures that review past happy events and fond relationships.
-be a competent learner = learn from friends or take a class or online course.
-confidence in learning new things builds confidence which builds real positive esteem.
-Act the act and it eventually become real.
-pencil in your mouth can build smile mussels.
-Smiling can stimulate smiling.
-Darn on good file = Share positive things to your peers and friends.
-Establish an attitude on gratitude.
-When make a small mistake- know it can teach you to impose.
-Have a brag board that can be a reminder of your successes. Darn I’m good.
-Find more positive people around you.
-Some negative people are influence by their own challenges.
-If you do something you don’t like such as exercise then do a different kind of exercise.
-Don’t be afraid to be playful. 4 yr. olds laugh 40 times a day humans sometimes none.
-Think about your mistakes ask, are they really that bad. Think of the inventors who succeeded from all the past mistakes.
-Watch kids at a park.
-Laugh and exercise. Find ways to get away from your desk. Get moving
-Sometimes having a pet with fur that you can stoke is known to build endorphins.
-Negative can hurt the heart and arties. It’s unhealthy.
-Go forth and conquer.
If you have some ideas on what is helped you to stay upbeat, please feel free to share them with the readers of this blog. Thank you.
Today’s theme is devoted to choosing our friends, our peers and life companions. I hope today’s topic can be of use to youth ministries, family devotionals, family home evenings and family counselors.
We may not always realize how our daily associations with the people we interact with influences our lives. One example might be that if we have a bad habit that we want to overcome, such as smoking. If we associate with people who share a similar habit, it would be harder to overcome that particular challenge. When we are constantly exposed to the aromas and actions of a habit that tempts us, it can be harder to break it. We might even have to resort to choosing alternative friends that don’t have the habit until we have successfully weaned ourselves of a habit.
There are other associations that can influence our lives. It would seem logical, that if we want to be closer to God, we would want to associate with people who share the same goal. People who enjoy doing activities outside a much nature will naturally be drawn to friendships with people who share a similar ambition. How many people find their marriage partner from the group of friends they buddy around with?
Here are two object lessons that make great illustrations on how friendships can influence one another.
A group of Charcoal briquettes:
Collect six pieces of charcoal and put them together and put fuel on them and start them on fire in a safe environment. Once the six coals are nice and hot use prongs and separate two of the hot coals from the six so that, four remain in one pile, and two are separated by themselves, thus making three separate piles of 4, plus 1 and 1. Notice how the four briquettes that burn together last longer because the heat from each, keeps them all hotter for a longer time. But each charcoal briquette that is sitting by itself will usually cool more quickly because it lacks any supporting heat. So positive family and friendships can be self-sustaining.
Celery display:
Place of collection of celery into a cup of water with red food coloring. Let it sit for a while. Eventually you will see that the food coloring is sucked up from the water and is distributed throughout the stalks of celery. Just like the celery is influenced by its surroundings so we are each influenced by our family and friendship relationships. We can contribute to such relationships providing either positive or negative results.
One important thing to remember is that we can often determine in advance a course of action. My invitation, is it for us to seek out relationships that will make us better than we currently are. I have some friends at a very well read and I admire their level of knowledge. I have other sets of friends that have excellent common sense and more friends who seem to have a close relationship with God. If I want to improve on these three attributes, it would be logical that I would seek such friendships to improve myself in these areas
If you have some ideas on what has been successful for you in establishing a positive family and friendship relationship. Please feel free to share it. Thank you.
It’s always nice to have multiple sources of gaining new knowledge and one of my sources is the radio show called the browser, at KSL.com. The following is some advice about finances.
The first point of information is about credit monitoring. Avoid places that offer a free credit report, such as creditreport.com because the only way you can get a free credit report from them is by buying their service. An alternative is to go to annualreport.com where you can get the three main credit ratings once a year for free. The three sources of credit monitoring are:
Experian
TransUnion
Equifax
Since you can get each of these reports once a year, the advice is to split up these individual reports throughout the year. First, maybe use TransUnion, then in another three months, you might use Equifax and finally Experian. That way you able to check your credit more frequently and it is still free.
The second point of advice is how parents can handle boomerang kids. Boomerang kids are children that have left the household to pursue their career or to get an education and for various reasons have to return home to live. Many times the parents will end up using their money safe retirement to take care of the children who are not working.
The recommendation is that before he or she returns home is to set up some ground rules. The parents and the child or maybe a newly married couple, have to discuss what is expected of that child when he or she moves home. Some examples might be:
The third point of advice is a phone app called creditkarma. Apparently it is willing to monitor your credit for free.
Anyway, that’s some information I obtained from the browser and I want to relay that knowledge to you.
Enjoy.
Also if you have a point of financial advice that you would like to give to readers of this blog, please for free to share it. Thank you.
When a woman is pregnant she is preparing for a future life of being a child’s mother. Sometimes that involves being a child’s nanny in teaching about life.
PregNANt or NANny.
Or when I think of a queen ant, I think of her laying a bunch of eggs for the nest and so is always pregnant
Please feel free to give additional suggestions you have on this topic in the comment section of the blog/site
To help in my communication skills, I have joined an organization called Toastmasters. It is in the opportunity to learn different skills that will improve my ability to give a presentation. Tonight, a member named Marcia gave the following recommendations to improve your chances in a speech contest.
– Learn more information about the contest, so you know what the criteria is being judged.
– Include body language in your presentation, but have a variety of physical activity that may be on the high level to the low level of the spectrum that will engage the listener to your speech.
– Avoid speaking in a monotone as it can disconnect the audience to what you’re saying.
– Practice your speech daily before the contest. This gives you the chance to see how long it takes to do your speech and insurers that it is given within the timeframe required by the contest.
– Many areas throughout the state are looking for judges. Seek out an opportunity to be a judge, so that you can see the criteria that speeches are being judged on.
– Have the beginning and the ending of your speech meet together and sharing the theme.
– Involve the audience in your speech, as group participation will connect the judges to you as a presenter.
– Seek out the opportunity to use props, but don’t use them too much just enough to support the message.
– Some speakers come in with a costume and that has helped them on their contest competition.
Before Buying:
-The right footwear will help prevent injuries and stimulate correct technique.
-Start listening to your body and paying attention to what hurts when you run.
-A $15-shoe will not be as good as an $80-shoe
-Place your shoes on a flat surface and look at them from behind.
If the wear is on the inside of the heels, you likely need a more stable shoe to keep from pronating, or rolling inward as you run.
If the wear is on the outside of the heels, you may be a supinator, and roll to the outside. This is even more likely if you have high arches. In this case, you may benefit from shoes that have good cushioning and shock absorption.
-feet change as we get older, so have your feet measured twice a year.
-Running shoes offer a wider variety of cushioning and support features than an be found in most walking shoes.
-Shop toward the end of the day. Feet swell over the course of the day; they also expand while you run or walk, so shoes should fit your feet when they’re at their largest.
-When to hit the shops again? The guidelines say after 400 miles of use. Use your judgement. If the padding (e.g. gel or air) has gone, the sole is worn or the comfort level has disappeared, it’s time to shop for a new pair.
-Running shoes are built to support and cushion your foot while in the specific act of running and walking. While running, the impact of each foot strike is three to five times your body weight. Your Keds just can’t cut it!
-shoe options: one designed for stability to one with motion control.
-Your ideal exercise shoes should feel comfortable instantly. Run away from anyone who tells you they need “wearing in”.
-Clear inserts, filled with gel, Freon, or air, provide extra shock absorption, as do those springy-looking things.
-Be careful about buying a shoe for looks.
-Once the back of the sole is worn out or the shoe feels uncomfortable or less supportive, it’s time to take those tootsies shopping again
Good shoe stores will:
-run at pace and then asks these questions: How does the shoe feel on initial contact? How does it transition? Is there anything that’s rubbing you wrong or hitting wrong on the shoe?
-sales people Looking at the bare foot, we can better see the shape of your arch, as well as evidence of blisters or hot spots, calluses, corns, bunions, or other things that need to be considered when fitting a shoe.
-Many running stores offer foot type analysis where you run across a computerized surface or run on a treadmill while they video tape your foot motion during running.
-Look for socks made of moisture-wicking acrylics or polyester blends, which absorb moisture, keep feet dry, and help prevent blisters. Cotton socks get wet and stay wet, causing friction that contributes to hot spots and blisters.
-Bring in your old shoes. so the salesperson can help the salesperson determine what kind of running shoes you need by having him look at the pair you’ve been wearing
-will likely have several options for you. Try them all, says Isphording. Don’t rush. Take your time trying on and testing shoes.
Feet Test:
-One way to determine your foot’s shape is to do a “wet test”— wet your foot, step on a piece of brown paper and trace your footprint. Or just look at where your last pair of shoes shows the most wear.
-Inspect the soles of your current running shoes. The location of the wear can tell you if you land on the heels, roll in or out or have a neutral foot strike.
-Wear what you would wear to run, especially wear the right sock. And if you have special shoe inserts or orthotics, bring those
-It’s important to determine where a person first comes in contact with the ground. Is it the outside of the heel? Is it at the inside of the forefoot?
-If the point of initial contact is mainly through the forefoot (as for many athletes and sprinters), then there’s not a lot of shoe needed behind the forefoot
-Start out with a short run and stop if you have any hot spots, which are a warning sign that a blister is on the way.
-The running shoe shouldn’t squeeze the foot, and the entire width of the foot should be touching the base of the shoe.
-The shape of your arch helps determine whether you pronate (roll to the inside of the foot), supinate (roll to the outside of the foot) or remain pretty neutral when you run.
-If a person has really flat feet, they’re going to need more of a stability shoe but with a higher arch, they’ll need more of a curved shoe.
Fit Tests:
-your whole foot should fit on the platform of the shoe
-If they hurt in the store, don’t buy them.
-Your heels should fit closely, without any slipping. Check for any rough edges that may rub against the top or sides of your feet.
-you need about a thumb’s width of room between your longest toe and the front of the running shoe for the footwear to function properly.
-Buy for your larger foot (feet are rarely the same exact size).
-palpate 360 degrees around the foot to make sure that all the bones are sitting on the shoe platform
-pay close attention to how the shoes make your feet feel, without worrying about how you think the shoes are supposed to feel.
-Walk or run around the store a bit to make sure they feel good in action.
-Expect your running or walking shoe to be anywhere from one-half size to two sizes larger than your dress shoes.
-you should be able to freely wiggly all of your toes when the shoe is on.
-Some shoes allow you to pump up the tongue, which lets people with difficult-to-fit feet achieve a more customized fit.
After purchase:
-try to use your running shoes only for your workouts.
-Ask about the store’s return policy. Most running stores allow returns on shoes that are clean and have not been worn a lot. Take the shoes home, wear them around the house, run in them. If they don’t work, you should be able to return them. Keep your receipt and the box they came in, and work with the staff to find the shoe that’s right for you.
An additional personal note, I learned a couple of new things to add to the list.
1. Once you have selected your shoes at your want to have asked the clerk if they have last year’s model of the same shoe because the last year’s model can usually be purchased for cheaper price.
2. If the shoe is tight around the lower width of your foot, then skip the first couple of holes before you start lacing up the shoe. That will loosen up the front half of the shoe.
3. If the shoe is loose around the heel, then look for the two holes at the top of the shoe. The first hole lines up with the other lace holes that trace up along the foot, but there is of the second hole about a fourth inch in that is used to make the shoe tighter around the top of the foot and helps prevent the hill of the first from moving around.
Links: thank you
http://www.fitsugar.com/Tips-Buying-Running-Shoes-20513024
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/beforeyoubuy/a/aabyb_shoes.htm
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/how-choose-athletic-shoes
I hope the following lesson can be of use to youth ministries, family devotionals, and family home evenings.
Today, I bought a new phone system, and have been trying to set it up voicemail without looking at the manual. I think that is very manly of me. And of course now I’m encountering a problem. I realize I need to look at… the manual.
How many of us are trying to do things the easy way? We think, I can do it by myself or I don’t need any help. A while ago, I remember hearing a news broadcast where the makers of TV dinners were frustrated because their customers will pop the dinner into the microwave without reading the directions. Then the customers complain about their meal being either overcooked undercooked.
Today’s lesson is on the usefulness of taking advantage of our resources. That means reading the manual or seeking the advice of someone experienced in the field that I need to know more about. There are advantages to learning new things every day so that you always gain new insights. You gain a wealth of knowledge just for the sake of knowing information. It can be amazing how it might be useful in some unpredicted circumstance.
At work, we have a health program that gives us varies assignments to get points. One of the goals is to read an hour a day. Thanks to this program, within the last couple of months I read seven books. I have been able to put that down as an accomplishment. Having programs such as this can give us an opportunity to give an accounting for the activities we participate in. Giving an accounting to somebody, can be a useful way to achieve personal goals.
My invitation is for each of us to find our best working conditions. I jokingly tell people that I can be bought. I’m willing to do quite a lot for certain rewards. One example, is that sometimes I might be willing to do various undesirable activities during the week with the anticipation that I can enjoy the weekend preforming personal tasks and not feel guilty.
So seek out area you want to improve on. And maybe reward yourself in a positive way, when you’ve achieved your goals. As a personal reward I may not want to use food for I use that too much already. I might be willing to reward myself with an extra hour of pleasurable reading as a reward.
Determine your goals and documented successes. For it is a good way to show progress.
Lately I am trying to learn a whole bunch of new stuff. I enjoy listening to history courses from Hillsdale college.
Here is a link: https://online.hillsdale.edu/
I know that a lot of the principals on which the US government was created was influenced by the Magna Carta agreement between nobles and the King John. Today, I have been listening to a history professor from Hillsdale college give a presentation on the topic. Here are some of my notes. I could only jot down a couple, but hopefully, they’ll be of interest.
Notes on the Magna Carta: 5-3-13
Magna Carta
article 1 = king may not appoint bishops. Agreement for religious liberty. The government has no claim on your conscience
article 2 = inheritance tax, <1215> Taxes may not be used punitively. They can not to be used a punishment.
article 12 = no taxation without representation
article 14 = If want to raise taxes the King/Government has to call bishops & barons by letter. <they are the ones in power> NO government changes without consent of governed.
article 17 = don’t chase the king around for justice. Justice must not depend upon economic status source for Miranda rights, attorney provided if can’t afford one.
Article 21 = Punishment must fit the crime
article 39 = Trial by jury by your peers and duel process of law. Plus hades capris.
article 40 = Right to a speedy trail
article 45 = can’t sell offices, you have the right to expect judge to know law, right to attorney
article 61 = 3rd paragraph If any justice (king officials) the government itself is subject to the law.
This is not the whole thing listed out but it is a beginning. Here is a link to the entire document.
Happy reading.
