http://accentuateservices.com/blog/2009/09/16/birth-theme-contest-winners/comment-page-1/#comment-1135

I will be sending out an email regarding the technicalities of the meeting soon!

B

http://www.accentuateservices.com/AS/node/13

I am planning to enter something in this month

Also if you are totally uninterested in the contest there is also a writers forum hosted by a freelance author/editor where you can go to post your work and have it critiqued by the community of writers there. Now I know that seems like the scariest thing in the world but the people there are super nice and helpful. They answer all kinds of questions no matter what the type of writing. Interested? Here’s the link:

http://accentuatewritersforum.com/files/

And finally if you only want suggestions on editing and grammar for things as diverse as online articles to resumes, the editor of the aforementioned websites, Michelle Devon, has a blog in which she posts things about common mistakes and errors she comes across when she is editing manuscripts and such. The link for that is:

http://edit-proofread-hints-tips.blogspot.com/

Hope everyone is still finding time to write, and think about the Spots during your busy lives

Much love!!

It’s Roz! I am finally taking a deeper look at this blog thing and hope what I am writing shows up…who knows. I need like a tutorial on this thing. So I discovered that writing is actually therapeutic and plan to start blogging about preparation for my show, just so I can get my thoughts out. Also, I am embarking on writing a possible book, YES, with chapters. I have a title and am excited about getting started. Well, I will keep in touch!

How do I post a pic of me and my info? Brenda? Linda? Anybody?

I was reading this article the other day that said that “sleeping on it” was just about the worst advice to give to someone with writer’s block. It stated and I quote “writers write, everyone else just makes excuses.” Wanting desperately to someday be a decent writer, I have tried to take that tidbit to heart. But sitting here right now sleep deprived and brain dead, I hate that advice so much it hurts.

For some reason I get my best inspiration for writing, when I’ve got too many other things going on to sit down and actually write. I’ve been sitting here for the past week, finally done with school, finally done with work, taking a hiatus from my entire life to try and get some of the craziness in my brain down on paper. And yet that’s all that I’ve been doing. Sitting there. In front of a blank computer screen. A blank word document. Cursor blinking at me like a timer, measuring out uninspired moments of my life. Ticking away.

It’s doing it right now. Blinking at me. Waiting impatiently for me to decide what comes next. Always one step ahead of me. Like it already knows whats coming. Its just waiting for me to figure it out. Blink. Blink. Blink.

If cursors could talk I bet I know what mine would say. Hurry up.

Cause the faster you type the faster I move. And we all know that everyone’s always just jonesing for that extra bit of speed. Go. Go. Go.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

I’m still waiting. Waiting on you. Always waiting. You dictate, I liberate. Putting the words down on the page so you can be free of them. They aren’t caged up in that crazy brain anymore. They fall down here. They come alive. I come alive. Skimming across the page as fast as you’ll let me. Always ready for more.

Blink. Blink.

We’re a team you and I. A dynamic duo. An inseparable pair. Neither complete without our better half. Well, your better half. My other half is … struggling. But don’t let it get you down kid. As a wise woman once said, ‘you are the wind beneath my wings.’ I’m nothing without you. Blink. Well not nothing per se, just a little immobile at times.

Blink. Blink. Blink. Blink.

You really make a great sidekick. Making it possible for me to do all the fantastic things I do. I mean did you see my output last month? That short story was fantastic. Yeah that research you did helped a bit, and you know that twist ending was kinda clever, if that’s what your into. But did you see how those letters lined up? One right after the other. Yea, that was me. And those spaces? Hot damn, they were so even they could have made an obsessive compulsive cry for joy.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

Would a cape make me look fat? I think it might actually be quite slimming. Flying out behind me over the letters I create. Blink. Just a thought. Blink. Blink. Maybe play up this dynamic duo angle a bit. Blink. If you’re into it. Blink. Blink. Think bout it.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

And so the blinking continues. Distracting me. Mocking me. Inviting me to make up clever dialogue for it rather than for my story. Perhaps pen and paper would give me a bit more leeway.

Then again, I wouldn’t want to offend my cursor.

Flying to Europe: Good Idea

Getting to customs and not knowing where you’re actually staying: Bad idea

Flying in business class with the seats that go flat: Good idea

Announcing to the whole cabin, who all paid thousands of dollars for their tickets, that you are awed by the complimentary three dollar chapstick:  Not so good idea

Packing all your stuff into one travel bag because you opted out of bringing that extra sweatshirt: Seemingly good idea

Realizing too late that it’s really f-ing cold in London: Chilly idea

Riding the London Underground’s “Picadilly Train to Cockfoster’s”: Funny idea

Listening to step-dad giggle about Cockfoster’s for the next three days: Less funny idea

Drinking at a pub in London: Good idea

Eating at a pub in London: Bad idea

Watching street performers (break dancing is back): Good idea

Being hounded by street performers for tips after the show: Bad idea

Checking out the fashions abroad: Good idea

Realizing that London has time-warped back to the leg warmers and neon colors of the eighties: Frightening idea

Visiting Madame Tussard’s wax museum: Good idea

Fighting all the other tourists to get one decent picture of a wax statue: Bad idea

Confusing wax statues with real people and waiting for them to get out of your way: Embarassing idea

Not mocking the accents in England: Difficult to accomplish but still good idea

Not knowing the language in France: Bad idea (Bonejure, pairlay voo le english?)

Eating in Paris: Fantastic idea

Eating in London: Terrible idea

Trying new foods all over Paris: Good idea

Going back to the same restaurant every night in Paris because you’ve befriended the waiter: Better idea

Ruining mom’s pictures by making goofy faces: Good idea

Dealing with mom after she realizes you’ve ruined her pictures: Bad idea

Walking by the Eiffel Tower: Good idea

Being assaulted by a million peddlers trying to sell you mini key-chain Eiffel Towers: Bad idea

Visiting the Louvre: Unamusing idea

Seeing the Venus de Milo’s plumber’s crack: Amusing idea

Taking an open bus tour around Paris: Good idea

Taking an open bus tour around Paris in the rain: Bad idea

Driving by the Moulin Rouge: Good idea

Driving by the Sexodrome, Erotic Supermarket, and overall Sex Shop next door to the Moulin Rogue: Hilarious idea

Looking out from the top of the Arc De Triomphe: Good idea

Climbing the three hundred stairs it takes to get to the top of the Arc De Triomphe: Bad idea

Agreeing to let your step-dad order that third bottle of wine on your last night: Bad idea

Continuing to drink with your step-dad through the fifth bottle of wine on your last night: Worse idea

Having an enormous hangover for the eleven hour flight back to Dallas: MOST HORRIBLE IDEA EVER

Letting my step-dad pay for everything the whole trip: Really great idea

So in a nutshell that was my trip. And as you probably have guessed i am perfectly willing to gush about it in person if you’re really curios. Hope everyone is enjoying May.

Anyway. I’m reading along with her and this snippet she posted in November of 2004 made me laugh and nod.

Why is it that when a guy tells a woman he loves her, often it’s accompanied in some fashion by, “I’ve only told x number of women that I love them.” The x is always a small number and usually includes their mother. It’s like they get points for loving very few people. I think it’s more to do with the fact that they realize being in love isn’t a joke, so by only having told a few people they can impress on the woman they are in love with that they take this seriously, but I usually have a negative reaction to reading or hearing this. It’s like, I’m so damn picky and think so highly of myself that I couldn’t find anything lovable in all the other women I’ve screwed, but you, you’re special. A mean little part of me always hopes that the woman they are opening themselves up to responds, “And you, you’re a jerk.” But that could be my hormones talking.

See? Read this article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21well.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Love,
Linda

Rest in Peace:

1. “Nothing Fancy” – Dave Barnes

2. “Love Song” – Sara Bareilles

3. “Breathe” – Faith Hill

4. “A Moment Like This” – Kelly Clarkson

5. “Over my Head” & “How to Save a Life” – The Fray

6. The entire One Republic Album

7. “The Way I Am” – Ingrid Michaelson

8. “Goodbye My Lover” and some other song about being beautiful – James Blunt

9. “I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz

10. “Wagon Wheel” – Old Crow Medicine Show

What songs have you played so much you killed them, you melodic murderer?