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 |  A running blog on a real newbies adventures with the WDC website |
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I became a newbie writer just starting to learn the tools of the trade. Silly me thinking, I could just jump right in, and start swimming, with what I remember of my six grade English. After all what use did a professional computer repair person need of grammar, to fill in blanks, dot “I’s”, or cross his “T’s” with. I was forced into early retirement. Because of Agent Orange encounters from Vietnam, and a bad hernia repair. You cannot learn anything being a mugwump. What is a mugwump you say? It is a person sitting on a fence; with their mug on one side of the fence, and their wump on the other side. One day I received this interesting email from the Newbie Academy Group. They recommend I engage in contest activities. I thought to myself why not! I went to the contest list and found the writer’s cramp contest. At the prompt: here's a new restaurant in town with an interesting theme. What's the theme, how is it expressed, and how's the food? I read this and get all excited. I started thinking of all the Chief Gordon Ramsey shows I had watch with my wife. Out of nowhere pops a memory of a silly menu I had in my funny joke collection. It was a road kill menu for Uncle Roberts fine cuisine dinning. I decided to use my hillbilly name. I and my wife had a moment in our newly married life, when we were teasing a neighbor friend. We started calling our redneck friend Deny-Bob. He called us JoVonna-Bob and Brett-Bob. I decided to call my contest entry “Brett-Bob’s Road Kill Express” to me the whole idea was a joke and after all what a great thing to write about. To me the trick was to keep it rated ‘E’ as this was a requirement of the contest. I had in my mind decided to keep it as a fake road kill diner they would serve real food as fake road kill using the out of season as the excuse to use their specialty dishes for them. When I wrote it as with all my writing I am becoming world famous for run-ons and miss spelling. Part of the problem is MSoffice I blame its terrible spell checker, and the horrible grammar checker, since it cannot even do second grade error correction. Like I told one of the Newbie Academy Ladies I’m a senior citizen writing as a first grader. And even a first grader has trouble reading my work let alone the poor teacher. Beside whom else can I blame? None of us want to point that finger at ourselves. We might get ashamed and do something about it. One of the funnier parts to my story is I didn’t read it had a thousand word limit. I just assumed that they wanted whatever you could produce in a short time. Just like Nanowrimo. It had a twenty four hour dead line. I figured you didn’t need to worry, if it was a rough draft, or a finished work. This was probably my misreading of the contest rules. I’m betting the judge expects to judge finished works by more experienced authors other than newbies. Basically I’m trying to say, I set myself up for failure. But the best part of the story, and funniest is the judge’s comment: “You met that goal with an interesting piece. However, since I'm a vegetarian, it was unhappily a bit unappetizing in both humor and description. Sigh.” I know I thrive on rejection. But my very first contest. When I am trying to fit in, and receive that comment. It was about the funniest thing to happen to me. Being a new writer I understand not everything I write is golden or is going to make me incredibly rich either. I did install the sense of shame. I went visiting my email and asked the kind judge for help with run-ons. She took pity on me and provided a link to myenglishteacher.net. She also recommended a class from WDC’s own recommended school. She also recommended asking for help in my groups forums. The truth is I really don’t see even the kindest writer here, having the time to teach me sixth grade again. Then I realized I don’t need the whole lessen. I just need to learn to recognize what I do in my writing, and fix that issue. As I write I can auto correct instead or totally relearning English. So I went to some of the forums in the Newbie Academy Group. Since I have no life anymore I sometimes expect the same of everyone else. But the sad truth is it’s the week end, and all the nice people are out being nice people. I am going to have to wait until Monday to get my help. My contest entry received eight reviews; of the eight, two actually showed me areas to improve it, and of course one judge’s review. I think the poor lady felt sorry for me and I got the newbie prize of 250 gp with the review or it won third place. I in my vanity like the third place idea; the truth is I’m just guessing. I hope I haven’t offended any one with this story. It is another attempt at a funny story. I don’t have any hard feelings with the judge she was honest, truthful, and even extremely helpful. Some points of interest; only one person didn’t find it funny, the judge. Only the judge and one retired teacher gave me a link. They both gave me really helpful reviews with writing style help. I am still holding on to three reviews of the eight. I still get a laugh every time I read the third email. I just love her closing line: This story is fun, and I still have a silly smirk on my face. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I'm building at "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise"  Great place to read.I'm docked at "Blog Harbor from The Talent Pond"
, a safe port for bloggers to connect. |
| Prompt: What treasures do you display inside your home? Well that all depends on your version of what treasure is. To me my wife is my treasure as well as all my children. But I have no intention of building glass cages for any of them. Gasp display my wife at home perish the thought. She is meant to be taken out and shown off to the general public as my "Trophy" wife. Mostly because I worship the ground she walks on. The poor lady has to have some down time, some place. So I display all three of my flat screen TV's and all five of my computers. as well as the Lazy Boy recliners and sofa. All the pictures of our Lord and Savior. I figure that should keep em busy playing games or watching TV and leave me and the wife alone to relax. Once all your kids are past fourteen. They pretty much baby sit themselves for a while. Normally about an hour or two depending on what the others are doing. Some time you get more, some times less. If the poor wife has had a bad day. I close our bedroom door, lock it, turn up the TV loud, and let her go to sleep or whatever she wants to do. The kids always think if our door is lock and the TV sound is up were doing things best left unsaid. I encourage them to think that because then they really leave us alone. No child likes a disturbed mommy and daddy. I digress. To me my burned backup DVD's of my computer hard drive are my pride and joy. Besides my wife they are one of my most treasured possessions. I don't display them in fact I hide them from view. I don't like my kids downloading all my games oops I mean stories and writing programs. My other sweet children / treasures can display themselves all over the living room / computer room. They still have to keep it clean. The real truth is my family is my treasure and my house is the display case. The display case could catch on fire and burn to the ground with all our possessions in it. As long as the wife and kids are safe outside it The material things are just that material things. We can replace them with bigger and better. But nothing can replace a child or a spouse. |
DAY 57 - April 29, 2014: Whats the thing you're most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it? What an interesting idea. I was thinking about what my fears are.  I could easily say getting my books published. I already know I'm going to do it regardless. It doesn't really meet the question and answer part. Because I don't need a bribe to do it. I am going to do it period. I thought of how my life has been about over coming fears. I spent several years in Vietnam over coming fear of flying bullets, land mines, bobby traps, and snipers. The fears with being married. I think we all have these. The fears of being a professional, until I learned that professionalism was an attitude. The fear of failure at your job. The fear of what is next with progressive disabilities. The fear of losing my limited mobility. I hate the idea of a catheter and not using a real toilet. Beside I have a real fear of needles. I would never be a junky. When I think of all the fears I have over come all ready. I really don't have many left to over come and some are just to handy to bother over coming like the fear of needles. I believe my only greatest fear left is of dying. I have decided I will not worry about this fear until it is my time. I believe you will do what you need to do to pass on. I still know I will leave my life kicking and screaming. It really will take a lot to convince me it's time to go. |
Prompt: What scents bring back vivid memories for you?[/size} The smell of fresh brewed coffee and bacon trigger the memories of living at home with my parents. Man I miss them both. I lost both of them early in my life. Mom died of a heart attack and dad followed her with congestive heart failure. I think he missed her too much to stay living. But those smells trigger fond breakfast memories, of the two people I loved the most in this world; besides my wife and kids. The smell of roses and tulips. They remind me of all the fun times I had as a kid decorating graves. Meeting aunts and uncles and playing with the cousins.** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** The smell of fresh growing things and Easter candy. The memories of our own home Easter egg hunts and the resulting potato salad from the eggs.  The heavenly aroma of my wife's perfume.and all the time we have spent together. |
Prompt: Which 5 characters from a novel or novels, would you have dinner with?  1). Thrang Silversmith from the "Adventurers Wanted" series. I always wanted to meet a dwarf. 2). Rand Althor from the "Wheel of Time" series. I always wondered what great power would be like. 3). Johnny Rico from "Star Ship Troopers." I loved this book as a kid. 4). The Mighty Thor from "The Mighty Thor" comic books. I always was a big fan. 5). Han Solo and crew. From the "Star Wars Fan Fiction." I have always loved that character.P.S. I wouldn't mind meeting Chewbacca with Han solo but since I can only have five. He will just have to wait until the next one of these types of prompts. |
| What 3 favorite books would you take with you to a deserted island? Since I have a choice in this I would take three series of books with me. First series: The complete Wheel of Time book set.  Second series: The Lord of the Rings  Third book: A set of my religion's standard works.  I'm guessing that I'm going to be along for a while. Since I read fast three single books,wouldn't work for me. I'd go crazy in two weeks. Now with the wheel of time series that should keep me reading for three weeks easy and the LOR series a least two weeks. My scriptures, heaven only knows. Since I still have to read them all the way through at least I might learn a lot,  . |
 DAY 49 - April 22, 2014: List ten things that make you smile. 1). Watching my cats play with each other.  2). Holding and petting and scratching my grey cat on my lap.  3). Drinking a nice cold glass of green tea.  4). A nice tender juicy chicken breast, fried in onions and green peppers, using butter as the oil. 5). A nice warm summer rain.  6). Building a snowman and having a family snowball fight.  7). Growing flowers in summer.  8). Watching all the leaves on my trees and vines turn colors.  9). Eating cupcakes I made myself with lots of sprinkles and frosting.   10). Watching the stars at night. |
| Prompt: What types of things do you avoid asking for help with? If you ask me help is overrated. First off I bought road maps, i actually studied them and looked at the route before leaving. then when i need to make sure of the correct exit point and i pull over to check my maps. The very first thing out of my wife's mouth is why don't you ask for directions? It's times like these I want to scream my head off. Get out of the car, run as fast and as far as I can. I never, ever, ever, want to come back. Instead I say its okay dear, I know what I'm doing, and find my map. I take a quick glace and drive on to stop the on coming conversation. My sweet lady has forgotten all about three years ago. We were going from Salt Lake City, Utah to Galveston, Texas. To prevent any problems we got a car rental from Enterprise. Loaded up for bear and headed out for parts unknown. I was taking my wife on a 25 year wedding anniversary cruise to the Bahamas. We were going to leave the rental car at the Galveston Airport and the cruise line's shuttle bus to the ship. All was going well until we hit Texas. I thought I had gotten lost when couldn't find the turn on to one of the state highways. I stopped at a truck stop to ask directions and pick up a road map or two. |
| Describe the wackiest but most useful advice you've ever received. This could be interesting! I can see the potential to get off track and go places most people don't talk about. But I haven been given some very interesting devices I learned a lot from. You see some how I keep seeing device not advice. Lets see Goosefraba. If you say it slowly it does actually calm you down and it can make you look silly until the people around you remember the movie it came from and start laughing with you. Quite a tension breaker. (Jack Nickleson in "Anger management.") Pretty sad you get great advice from a comedy movie isn't it. But if it works does it really matter where you get it from? |
The Newbie Corner Playing With Underline, Strikethrough Text, Popnote, Footnote, and Dropnote Today I would like to talk about using ML code for enhancing your review forms or your blog. How many have seen the drop down boxes used to hide away the goofs they havefound? It is a nice trick. Here is how it is done. You type in {dropnote:"Hide until needed"} Next we add the text we want to hide until needed. {/dropnote} Example: Click here ▼ Next up is footnotes {footnote:"1"} after you have typed in your first footnote you use {/footnote} Now according to instructions if we use "1" to start it. The count will start with numbers starting at one to get the rest you start the rest of each footnote with {footnote:"#"} and end it {/footnote} It will also work with "a" going to z then continue with aa to zz. "A" does the same only capitalized. {footnote:1} Jack and Jill went up the hill. This is numbered one.{/footnote} {footnote:#}To fetch a pail of water. This is numbered two.{/footnote} {footnote:#}Jack fell down and broke his crown. This is numbered three.{/footnote} (These last three lines are what is behind my examples that you don't get to see. Notice it puts a number and creates a footnote heading and lists what was in the text part at the end of the article) Example: Jack and Jill went up the hill. this is numbered one. 1 To fetch a pail of water. This is numbered three. 2 Jack fell down and broke his crown. This is Numbered three. 3 These work great for our research links. You can even have fun listing clues with it and so on. Popnotes are for mouse over or discovered extra hidden text. This way there is no click to unhide and click to put away.The command is {popnote:"TITLE"} and it's ending {/popnote}. Example: Mouse over this. Now for some fun. The strikethrough text is done with {x} and {/x}. It looks like this. This is very useful when we are reviewing work and want to emphasize the corrections. Example: John was were fighting with a an and horrible sentence. I'm sure you have seen other examples of it around WDC on and off. Now you know how it is done. Just in case your wondering what the actual code looks like I used here it is. {c:red}{x}{b}this{/b}{/x} {c:red}{x}{b} a and{/b}{x}{/c} The underline text is done with {u} and {/u}. It looks like this. I'm going to use that last example and underline it to really get our point across. Also notice I used red coloring to really make it stand out. We writers on reading our own work tend to glance over it. I use these techniques to catch the writer's eyes, after all, we all love color and interesting things to draw our attention. This is very useful when we are reviewing work and want to emphasize the corrections. Example: John was were fighting with a an and horrible sentence. Notice I just swapped out the x for the u. The last thing I want to show you is {i} and {/i} this is Italics. It looks like this. Now you know how these are done in sentences or any body of text. Stay tuned. I will be covering more on this as I work into contests, raffles, and group work pages as well. In and outs, and a lot of the sites features that depend on our Writing ML code to enhance them. Brett ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Footnotes |
| Prompt: Who is your favorite Star Wars character? Luke Skywalker? Darth Vadar, Yoda, C3PO, R2D2, Ewoks, Jabba The Hut, Hans Solo or Princess Leia? Not a Star Wars Fan? How about Star Trek, V or ET? Have fun with this. My most favorite Star Wars character is JaJa Binks along with Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. As for Star Trek, I have loved all the Captains of the different ships and stations. Don't remember much about V. But I love ET my favorite quote was "ET phone home." While we are on this blast from the past what about "The Explorers" or "Flight of the Navigator" or "Moe"? There was a few others as well but my brain burp died. My point to all of this is I loved them all and the Fan Fiction that followed them especially the Star Wars Fan fiction. I loved reading about the adventures the rebel pilots and some of the strange new stuff they found there. I have also read the whole Dungeons and Dragons series and fan fiction. Of course then there all the comic book movies by Stan Lee. I used to read and collect all the comics on Superman, Spiderman, and Fantastic Four. I loved the Silver Surfer but have yet to actually see the movie. I think to sum it I love Sci-Fi and Fantasy. |
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