%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |   My journey through (and beyond) the valley with Cancer as my companion. |
|
Dear Friend: This is not a Blog about writing! (I already have one of those.) This is a blog about a journey I am taking with illness. I have recently been diagnosed with Cancer. My goal is honest therapy as I progress through, and beyond this new reality in my life. I hope that, somewhere along the way you will find some words that will help you too. While this is, in fact, an interactive Blog, I hope that you will scroll slowly down this page. For you see, the front of this Blog IS my journey. The entries are conversations that are held along the journey.Yes, there is a lot on it--before actually getting to the Blog entries. But, I hope that by the objects and words which appear before the Blog itself, you might come to understand just a little bit about me, and my journey, and some truly amazing friends who have agreed to journey with me. I hope that you, too, will choose to accompany me on my walk--through the Valley. I invite you to join me, and discover the wondrous truths, meet some truly amazing people, and share those "memorable" moments this journey will undoubtedly present. Come along, won't you? In His Care, ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Would you like to help me help others? I found this amazing organization, and I am proud to be a sponsor. I hope you will check it out. It's called The Network For Good.  ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** "RISUS OMNIA - INCRUMENTUS PER DEDECUS - SAPIENTIA PER DAMNUM" ("Every thing is funny - Growth through humiliation - Wisdom through loss") ~Leunig~ The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse. ~Helen Keller~ "If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people." ~Virginia Woolf~ ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** "There is strength in truth." ~The Barton Family Crest~ ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” — Helen Keller, American social activist, public speaker and author (1880-1968) I have moved the list of my thanks for those who have helped to make this little Blog so very special. I hope that you will take a moment to read the list, growing every day, and let these fellow travellers along this journey know that you appreciate the contributions they make to our walk together.
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4 ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Please feel free to click on the Blog Rings icon below to be transported to some of the very best of the Best Bloggers around WDC. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** If you are new to WDC, or to our Blogging community, I highly recommend the monthly edition of "The Blogville News". Feel free to click below, and let Scarlett   know that a Blogger sent ya!Hey! We've started a Christian's Blog Ring on WDC. Click on the logo, and join us! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Budroe
 Ring LeaderI have three publications at the moment. Here is a link to purchase my latest one. Buy a great read, and help a fellow writer out, Okay?  ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| I'm being reminded, in a rather exquisitely painful way, why I stopped writing so darn much on this site. It never seems to completely overcome me, but it often gets darned close. I know that I am not alone in this. You KNOW who you are. 1. Bare bones writing. Get the words down "on paper", as it were. Or, as it weren't if you are of that particular persuasion. 2. Begin to "dress up" the words. Links are always a good and easy start. 3. Links don't work. They used to. HEY! Who messed up my links?? What is an "x-link", anyway? 4. Links working. 5. Add an image for contrast and interest. 6. Links not visible. OH, NO! 7. Go through the entire portfolio tree to learn where the clash of permissions exists. Fix. Several steps, and shots of Bourbon may be required. 8. As if by magic, images appear when you use the {image:} tag. I used to know that. Oh, man. I'm getting old. What's your name again? 9. Begin word edit. Preachers, Lawyers and Teachers do (or at least should) be paid by the word. 9A. It doesn't have to be eternal to be immortal. Say it already! 10. Emphasize, italicize, neutralize this puppy! Brutal is best. The agony is short-lived. How did you get so committed to that word? Ere ye crazee? 11. (Should be #2 on list. Move to #2.) Save early. Save often. Okay, I think that's got it. I'll just save and chec...what do you MEAN site down for maintenance?? One hour's well-deserved break later... Okay, where was I? Oh, yeah, missed a curly brace. The whole danged thing is in italics. Find it. Fix it. Save it. Check it. Curly brace in wrong place, and visible besides. Find it. Fix it. Save it. Check it. Checks out. Upward and onward. 12. I find it imperative to edit as I type. I never said I was perfect at it. Word by honkin' word, already. Man, I write too long. One hour's work later... 13. Brace by brace, bracket by bracket, paren by paren. GET IT RIGHT, ALREADY. You're a WRITER, already! Write like it! Edit like it. (As many professionals withll immediately confess, being a writer and being and editor are two distinctly different professions as far away from each other as East is from West. Find an editor you can trust to fix your writing so that what you mean to say is said without all the salad! Hire them. Use them. Celebrate them. Sing their praises to the universe!) But, in the meantime.... 14. One static item written, formatted and edited. HUZZAH. Only 300 more to go, and this puppy's done! Curls up into fetal position. Cries for his Mommy! Next day, opens email from editor. Has melt down. Goes fishing. Never writes again. A note to editors everywhere, to a few generally and to one in particular: You may very well be the most valuable tool in my, or any other sorry, useless, impertinent, omniscient, omni-pain-in-th-rear writer's toolbox. I am eternally grateful for all that you do, and especially that you do for me as my writing journey continues. I apologize for being such a present, constant and complete jerk and humbly beg your forgiveness. To be fair, this writing thing is not now, nor has it ever been a particularly easy thing. We just keep trying to improve one publication or one chapter or one sentence or one word at a time. Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut. Sorry for you lot. You find too many. Take me, for instance. Please. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
