Square Root Day

Page-a-day WC - 844 words

Today was Square Root Day! Yay! It's a rare holiday which occurs only when the month and day are the square root of the last two digits of the year i.e. 03/03/09.

I hope you had yourself a little Par-Tay! Win yourself a little extra cash. Do a math problem or two. Whatever!

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Hamster Power!

Page-a-day WC - 725 words

Some geniuses with too much time on their hands decided to come up with this clever idea for a more greener vacuum cleaner (whoa..that rhymes). They took one of those Roombas and combined it with hamster power. Placing the furry creature in the plastic ball, it runs in a certain direction and the robotic vacuum cleaner follows its lead. Of course, who could resist the urge to display this wonderful creation on YouTube? A few problems with this.

First of all, this may seem environmentally good, but not exactly healthy...for humans anyways. Does allowing a hamster rolling around vacuuming your floor while you sit on your ass, watching Oprah or Desperate Housewives sound healthy to you? Sure the hamster is getting exercise but you aren't.

Secondly, there's no guarantee the hamster will do a good job. There's no point in having a hamster vacuum your floor if it's not going to clean the whole thing. Maybe if it's being chased by a cat. But sounds to me you'll be vacuuming the floor yourself after all said and done.

Last, how long do you think it'll take for the animal rights groups to break out the protests? They jumped down Miss Britney's throat about having elephants in her circus video (not saying she was in the green on this one). They are certainly going to have a problem with this. They are trying to market it as the hamster is getting exercise. They can get the exercise without the vacuum cleaner attached to them. Basically, this idea is turning a hamster in to an animal slave, cleaning the floors in your house. I'm not cool with that.

Here's a challenge to all the inventors in the world. Develop a vacuum cleaner that is great for the environment and doesn't require your household pet to do your dirty work for you.

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AbDWriMo is Over!

Page-a-Day WC - 228 words

The Authors By Design Writing Month is over. My final word count came out to be 20,078. I didn't do as well as some of the others but I have to say I did pretty good. Here is an excerpt for your reading pleasure:

Leaning over hot stoves, the butcher put his culinary talents to work. Added a little of this and that. Then, stirred. Mixed in a few more ingredients and taste tested his creation. More adjustments were made. He moved on to another dish. Anna intended to switch to a difference camera when something caught her eye.

Zooming in, she realized what it was. The grilled cheese sandwich and pie fought for a reappearance. She wanted to dash to a nearby restroom but knew she would be caught. "The stew. I can't believe she would do that. Go that far."

That first night when they arrived, her group sat down to dinner as the current was about to do. "I knew something was off. Who eats stew with a sixteen-piece place setting?" she said. The mere thought made her gag. "I knew the meat tasted funny. I can't believe it. She turned me in to her."

The thought made her want to run from herself. This bête noire upgraded from murderer to monster. Suddenly, her breath quickened. Her heart pounded. The room began to spin. She felt like her number was up. She escaped murder, dismemberment and being devoured by some unexpected person. She had survived it all when so many didn't. Now a heart attack was going to accomplish what they hadn't.

Now on to National Novel Editing Month!

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AUTHORS WANTED: The Write Stuff

Page-a-Day WC - 1,097 words

I received this from one of the Editors from Long Story Short. I'm not much one for reality TV. Thought I would pass it along anyways:

Upcoming Reality Show Promotes Reading While Offering Assistance to Aspiring Writers

To encourage literacy throughout the United States, Shadow Play Entertainment and its partners are gearing up for a historic literary journey of a lifetime: to find the next big thing in publishing. They realize that reading is not only important, but providing quality entertainment to the masses is also vital. Introducing "The Write Stuff" (http://www.thewritestufftv.com), a new reality show designed to assist individuals in their quest to get their work recognized, as well as network with those who have made it in the industry.

This new project will not only encourage creativity but also provide assistance to those who are looking to make it in the world of publishing. Hosted by Executive Producers Cyrus A. Webb (Shadow Play Entertainment/Conversations Book Club) and Glenn Toby (Celebrity Sports and Talent Agent/Precision Pictures and Films), the show will take fourteen (14) contestants who have drive, ambition and the willingness to succeed through 14 weeks of challenges to prepare them for the competitive literary world.

Airing in select cities (on the CW Channel and select My Network Channels) and ABC affiliates, the show will be seen by an audience of over 20 million households. After airing, all episodes will be available on The Write Stuff TV channel on Youtube found at http://www.youtube.com/thewritestufftv. As new markets open, previous episodes will be re-aired with the finale airing simultaneously.

"The Write Stuff" will put the contestants in the faces of those who can make it happen for them in the publishing world and those who can give them the tools they need to be successful. At stake is the ultimate prize for those who want to make their mark in the industry: a ONE-BOOK DEAL provided by Hollygrove Publishing! Along with the book deal and recognition of having "The Write Stuff," come a brand new Dell Laptop and a prize package worth over $16,000. There will also be features in Conversations Magazine (online and print), Poetic Monthly Magazine (online and print), Crunk Magazine (online and print), and Hype Magazine, along with other publications across the country!

Live auditions began in January 2009 and will take place throughout February 2009. However, online auditions are accepted as well. Details are available at http://www.thewritestufftv.com. Judges include up-and-coming as well as best-selling authors from across the country. There is no doubt that this project will be one for the record books, getting national attention, as well as helping many contestants make a name for themselves---all while encouraging literacy for those watching at home and online.

For more information or to schedule interviews, contact Cyrus A. Webb at cawebb4@juno.com.

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Please Don't Hold Back

Page-a-Day WC - 527 words



I swear every time I see this episode of Trading Spouses it pisses me off. The most ungrateful, self-centered people in the entire world. How dare Laura allocate most of the money to the girls. What is wrong with her? Whatever.

Wendy and her Australian boy toy going on and on about how broke they are but yet wanted to use the money to remodel the kitchen. When you're broke, remodeling a room or the entire house for that matter shouldn't be a high priority. You fix what needs to be fixed. When you have money to spare, then you think about remodeling. Besides, they chose this life. They CHOSE this. So, stop your whining and deal with it.

I get what Laura was trying to do. She wanted to make the girls feel special because obviously Wendy and her boy toy are too self-involved to think of them first. I think the girls should go live with their dad. Let Wendy and Mike do whatever they want. They act like they want to be unattached anyways. I don't have a problem with older women marrying younger guys but the kids well being should come first.

What is wrong with people these days?

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Missile Launch

Page-a-Day WC - 540 words

I noticed via MyBlogLog that I receive several visitors who did Google searches on the Missile portion of Bolt the game. I don't know why. That was one of the easiest obstacles to complete for me. However, if you need some guidance on completing that part of Oceania Core, allow me to give you a breakdown.

The are six missiles in total in which Bolt has to disarm. Each missile is harder than the previous one. You'll also have to avoid falling off the missiles, and electric fields.

Missile one is the easiest. Using your arrow keys, maneuver around it until you find a white strip with red arrows and a red bar. Approach the red bar and press the "A" button. With your finger still on the "A" button, press the "Down" arrow key until the bar is from one end of the strip to the other. That will disarm the missile. After which, you will move on to the next.

Missile two is just as easy. There is a gray panel towards the middle of the missile. Locate it first. Upon approaching it, a caption bubble will pop up with a green exclamation mark. This signals you to use your laser vision. Press "A" and trace the shape with your stylus. The panel will break off and the missile will be disarmed.

Missile three is where electrical fields come in to play. When transferring to missile three from two, you will be positioned at the top. Use your control pad to prevent bolt from running in to those blue lines. Paralleling each other, the fields wrap around the entire missile. There is one section between two boxes with a yellow circle and a line drawn through it where the field fades in and out. When it's out, that is when you fly right pass them. Keep your finger on the "Down" arrow key for extra speed. After bypassing the fields, locate the white arrowed stripe and the red bar. Then repeat what you did on Missile one. I also would like to add that another obstacle is introduced. The one where bolt holds on by a paw. I swear it looks like he is humping the thing. Anyways, to regain his grip press "A" repeatedly.

Missile four adds a few more electrical fields and falling off times. Bolt lands on the back of the missile. You have to maneuver through the fields like I taught you on the third one. Be careful. The openings are not all in the same place. Use the control pad to keep Bolt from running in to them while you wait for it to fade out. Of course, the times of which Bolt holds on by a paw happens during the wrong times. Once you arrive at the front of the missile, locate the gray panel and use laser vision.

Missile five has a few more electrical fields. Bolt lands at the top of the missile. The first four electrical field openings are in a row. Use the "Down" arrow button and sail through them but be careful. The fifth one isn't too far away and you can run right in to it if you don't watch it. Pass through all six fields successfully. Then maneuver around the missile until you find the white arrow stripe. There's a field opening located on it. Pass through it and pull the bar to the end. Keep your finger on the "A" button to hold on to the bar if you have to wait for the field to fade out before reaching the end.

The last missile is a bit tricky. It has one less electrical field than the one before, but the falling off rate increases. Bolt lands at the end of the missile. On this one, you can't exactly rely on the little boxes to tell you where the openings are. Use your control pad to maneuver around the missile until you find the opening for field one and two. Even though the fields are far apart, the openings are in the same place. That is where you pass through to get to the top of the missile. The next three fields are right in a row. The openings are not. They have been aligned diagonally. Don't panic. It's not hard to bypass. Once the field fades, enter the first one, move over a little and sail through the others. If you do this kind of quickly, you shouldn't have any problems. After reaching the top, locate the panel and use your laser vision.

Once you disarm the last missile, your done. You have completed the entire game. Yay for you! Got any questions, leave a comment and I'll try to help ya the best I can.

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Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Page-a-Day WC - 562 words

I made this one in my high school home-ec class. I didn't think it would be any good but it's alright.

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

2 cups Instant Rice, uncooked
1 stick butter
1 (8 ounce) jar Cheese Whiz
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 boxes frozen chopped broccoli
3/4 cup celery, chopped
3/4 cup onion, chopped

Melt and heat butter, Cheese Whiz and soup. Mix together frozen chopped broccoli (thawed to room temperature) and rice. Add celery and onion to broccoli mixture. Pour sauce over mixture and mix. Pour in to a 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake 45 minutes uncovered at 350 degrees.

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Monday Morning Meme

Page-a-Day WC - 547 words

Karen from Write From Karen developed a meme entitled Monday Morning Meme. All you do is answer a series of questions about yourself in an elaborate sense either on your blog or in the comment section of her blog. Here are today's:

February 23rd Questions:

1. Does blogging make you fat? Do you find yourself sitting around and eating more since you started your blog? Or do you get so caught up in the whole blogging routine that you forget to eat? My blog does not make me look fat. At least, not this one. In all seriousness, sometimes when I'm on the internet in general I forget to eat and/or drink. Time tends to fly by fast.

2. The one topic I will not touch on my blog is __________. Why? What sorts of topics do you receive the most comments on? What sorts of topics do you receive the least number of comments on? I don't think there is a topic I'm willing to shy away from. Like a lot of people, I'm just putting my opinions out there for whoever to read though I'm not in the business of pissing people off. But I know I can't make everyone happy either (remember last week's answers?). I've had this blog for several years but I started new this January. So, I'm not getting a lot of comments which isn't a big deal. The most comments I've received was on a post about National Delurking Week and there are several which haven't received any at all. Again, no big deal. I'm not crying over it.

3. Spring is coming. How is your wardrobe? What sorts of clothes do you usually wear in the spring? Where do you normally shop for your clothes? How successful are you in finding clothes for yourself? I hate shopping. With a passion. I can never find clothes that fit just right. They are either too big or too small and it's just frustrating. I'm the type of person that will not buy clothes unless I absolutely have to. I won't spend a lot of money on clothes either. I'm not going bankrupt just to stay with the trends. It's not worth it.

4. We should treat every day as a special gift - we’re alive, right? What made this past week special for you? (And if you’ve already talked about that special something on your blog, then think of something else - something little perhaps, but had a big impact on you or your loved ones). Despite having a story rejected, I found out the day before yesterday that my sister is PREGNANT! I'm going to have another niece or nephew. Yay!!

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Brown Springs

Page-a-Day WC - 204 words

Bachelor Grove is well known as a former mob dumping ground. Brown Springs in Thackerville, Oklahoma is also known for its body dumping past. Nestled in a low area near Chickasaw Smoke Shoppe, Brown Springs flows in to a nearby lagoon. It's neighbor is a cemetery founded in the 19th Century.

Over the last couple of decades, bodies have been discovered in the springs. These people met violent deaths in Dallas and then were taken to their final resting place in Brown Springs. Several were found in the 1970s. Then, one in 1989. One of the last ones found was a woman from Gainesville. In 1997, she was found in the springs on top of her car.

Some visitors to Brown Springs have been pulled to particular grave sites. Trees bleed. There have been sightings of a little girl standing next to a headstone marked "Butch".

For more information and photos , visit http://www.oklahomahistory.net/brownspr.html.

Repost from Ghost Stories

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One Down, Eleven To Go

Page-a-Day WC - 690 words

I recently finished reading The Diary of a Young Girl By: Anne Frank. I had the pleasure of reading several novels written by Holocaust survivors. It doesn't matter which voice its coming from. No one can paint the picture of that event in a flattering light.

What sets this book from all the others is that it isn't about all the horrible events which took place in concentration camps. It's about a group of people hiding from those horrible events. Can you imagine being held up in a small cramp space with seven other people for not days but years? This teenage girl describes their fears, arguments and celebrations. Through these words a young girl grows up before your eyes from being totally boy crazy to having love for only one.

There's a reason why this book is required reading throughout schools in the US. The only way to truly discover this reason is to read it for yourself. It's worth your time and good karma.

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Horror S.O.S.

I began writing Contemporary and later transitioned in to Horror. If you're going to write horror, you have to know horror. The problem is every time I think I've scratched the surface of this genre, I stumble upon a whole new branch.

So I'm tap tap tapping out this S.O.S. to all horror fans and writers alike. Clue me in to what books/anthologies I should be reading. What movies/TV I should be watching. What sites I should be visiting. What magazines/ezines I should be submitting to. Anything horror. Drop me a note.

BTW, I signed up for a horror networking site called The Haunt. My page: http://www.horror-mall.com/haunt/Sthrnwriter. Add me if you like.

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Who Are You?

Page-a-Day WC - 361 words

There are two distinct ways to approach writing: plotting or write by the seat of your pants. I’ve always been the one to come up with an idea and just write. Let the story flow where it’s going to go. Change what needs to be changed later. The problem with this method is the details. Readers will call you on the smallest inaccurate details.

I know when I’m reading a book and I see something wrong. Whether it be spelling or grammatical error, it doesn’t matter. I still ask myself “How could they have missed this” each time. But it’s easy to read something over and over and still miss the same thing. That’s where critique partners and writing groups come in.

I have yet to find the right person I can rely on. When it comes to my own writing, I’m insecure. I never feel it’s good enough. I need someone else to read it and give me that brutal honesty. I don’t think a writer can live without brutal honesty. Unfortunately, my quest has been unsuccessful. This has caused me to shift in to more of a plotter. Plotting has added some security, but hasn’t eliminated the search for the right critique partner.

Who are you? A plotter or a write-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer? Do you feel your method helps or hinders your craft?

Repost from Write Anything

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Most Annoying

Page-a-Day WC - 339 words

The most annoying thing is people who live by the bible. You want to believe in God? That's fine, but get a brain. They condemn gays using the scripture to back up their beliefs but yet don't follow all of its teachings either. It's so hypocritical. The bible was written a long time ago. It's the most translated book in the world and loses pieces of its message each time it gets a new coat of polish. Men interpret it the way they want to. Who cares if its right or not. Its just ridiculous.

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First Rejection of the Year

I submitted my short story "Blood Diary" to Pseudopod a little over two months ago. I think what I loved the most about it was the thought of hearing my story out loud. The money would've been a bonus. I was a little sad when I received this today:

Dear Andrea,

Thank you for sending us "Blood Diary". I apologize for the delay
getting back to you. I've reviewed the story and decided not to
purchase it. The pacing is a little slow, and the dialogue doesn't
quite ring true for me.

Thanks for submitting, and best wishes for you and your work.


Sincerely,
Ben Phillips
PSEUDOPOD - The Horror Podcast Magazine
http://pseudopod.org

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I Did It!

Page-a-Day WC - 686 words

My word count currently sits at 15211. I surpassed the 15K goal. Yay! *jumps up and down* The month isn't over and neither is my story but I wanted to share this piece of writing news.

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Monday Morning Meme

Karen from Write From Karen developed a meme entitled Monday Morning Meme. All you do is answer a series of questions about yourself in an elaborate sense either on your blog or in the comment section of her blog. Here are today's:

February 16th Questions:

1. What did you do over the weekend? Not much of anything. Wrote, sleep and ate mostly. I'm less than 500 words away from making the AbdWriMo goal. Yay!

2. What was your first impression of your spouse or current partner? Now tell us about your first date with this person. Considering I'm not married nor dating anyone right now, I'd have to say my first impression was pretty disappointing. I have to buy me dinner all the time and open my own doors without even a thank you. It's just not right.

3. How many lurkers do you think you have that read your blog, but never comment? Have you ever been successful at getting them to say hello? Do you mind the lurking? Are you a lurker? Or do you try and comment every time you visit? My blogs are listed on MyBlogLog. I gives me an idea of how many people visit my blog everyday and what they view/click on. This blog doesn't receive many visitors at the moment not that I'm surprised. You have to be an active blogger for people to even think about sticking around. I've only been at it for a few months. As for me, I do my share of lurking but I do try to comment when I have time and something to say.

4. Good People are proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. You know the type that are respectful, charitable, doesn't judge and so on. That kind of a person is sometimes hard to find.

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Wearing It With Pride

Page-a-Day WC - 760 words

You remember that episode, next to the very last one in the series, on the Cosby Show where Claire is trying to explain to Winnie and Nelson why graduates where a cap and gown. It was just so cute. I love the part where she says they put little sandwiches on the cap and use the tassel to brush off the crumbs. You want to know the actual origins? Too bad I'm telling you anyways.

The cap derived from another head covering: the hood. Those who wore hoods like the Druids were considered well respected. It separated them from others in a society. This practice later translated in to a school tradition. Tassels signified the achievements of a particular student.

The origin of gowns was more of a religious nature. Dominant religious groups controlled universities in the middle ages. The gowns they wore made them stand out. Students were required to emulate that style. As a result, they used gowns to celebrate the highest achievements students acquired in the institutions.

Make sense now?

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Shirley Jackson Awards Lottery

Page-a-Day WC - 634 words

The Shirley Jackson Awards Lottery is underway. From February 9 through February 23, buy tickets to win a variety of prizes. Each cost $1 and you may buy as many as you want. All proceeds go to fund the award.

A few prizes to be won: Signed screenplay of Scott Nicholson's Appalachian Haunting, Personally inscribed keyboard from Neil Gaiman, Signed Afterword, Jack Ketchum: Tales from a Darker State Anthology, Novel manuscript critique by Stephen Barbara, etc.

I bought a ticket though I'm not saying for what. I'm not stupid. Go to the website for the list of items.

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Snoozing

Page-a-Day WC - 577 words

Cat in the pantie drawer. You think he's trying to tell me something?

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Moving Forward

Page-a-Day WC - 1,348 words

Repost from Write Anything:

As you may already know, Write Anything is shifting in to a new light: more doing and a little less talking. So, today I’m doing. Below is a little ghost story I wrote. Do you think it’s based on an actual eye witness account or a product of my imagination? (Answer will be revealed at the end of the day)

Kate wandered around the cemetery. Her golden hair shimmering in the sunlight. Summer dripping from her body. Readjusting her glasses, she strolled from one headstone to another. It wasn’t those who rest in peace that brought her to that place. The stories led her down the grassy path.

The pied pipers enticed her with them all her life. She couldn’t resist the hypnotism any longer. So, she walked, reading names eroded by time as if she had done so since birth. Kate picked the stone of an elderly woman and took a seat.

There she waited. Waited for the one person who eluded so many before her. An hour passed. Then two. Birds vocalized their songs. Squirrels dashed up and down trees, collecting food. He wasn’t making an appearance today.

She accepted she wasn’t meant to meet him and began to leave. Pressure on her left shoulder prevented her from rising. Shrugging, she made another attempt. Same results. Her eyes darted around the cemetery. She sat alone. Kate repeated the process until she was finally allowed to leave.

Upon examining the area, Kate spotted the cause. The tail end of a brown snake slithered away out of sight. She met him after all. The priest saved her life. Kate walked down that same grassy path, retaining a story of her own close to her heart.

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