tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91691299983295374482024-03-05T18:21:13.195-05:00The Surly WriterStories of surly humor. On occasion bits of useful information, although I'm trying to stomp out that bad habit.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.comBlogger460125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-35120758472672049152016-07-23T12:55:00.001-04:002016-07-23T15:10:49.720-04:00Author Amy Gettinger and her book, "Alice in Monologue Land"Author friend Amy Gettinger has a self-published book out that is getting rave reviews. She is offering it today for free on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Alice-Monologue-Land-Amy-Gettinger-ebook/dp/B00VVK8NFM?ie=UTF8&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&tag=geolinker-20#navbar">Amazon</a> (regular price is $3.99 if you miss the sale and, really, that's not a lot of moolah when compared to other hardbound books). So if you are looking for women's fiction about English instructors, college campus production monologues, and a little bit of murder, this is a frolicking tale to get for your Kindle collection.<br />
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"But, Michelle. I'm not really into stories about people tasting poisoned brownies," you say....<br />
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What? You are one of my readers and don't like suspense? Okay, I'll forgive you for that. How do you feel about roller derbies, romance and just a little bit of mystery? Check out Amy's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Roll-Punches-Amy-Gettinger-ebook/dp/B00V5B3W12?ie=UTF8&keywords=amy%20gettinger&qid=1458001581&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1#navbar">other story</a>, "Rolling with the Punches." This story takes real life drama and puts a derby spin to it.<br />
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Take a look and a read for yourself. The lively characters will definitely draw you into the story.<br />
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As for me, I'll be back to posting... sometime... when I get a chance to break away from work...Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-91335248736071096072016-02-12T17:45:00.001-05:002016-02-12T17:45:27.375-05:00Birthday Blast at the Most Magical Place on Earth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I haven't posted here for awhile. Writing work has me bogged down on most days. Yet I do want to make this post about a wonderful time that happened 10 days ago. <br />
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The Overlord's birthday was last week. We decided to celebrate her birthday with someone she truly admired: Mickey Mouse.<br />
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We stayed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida for several days. The resort was wonderful, the trip magical, and the Overlord had the time of her life.<br />
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She meet almost all of the Disney characters except for Chip & Dale, Pluto and the characters from Winnie the Pooh. We will save that for another trip.<br />
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Of course she loved the rides too, even the rides that she closed her eyes for and screamed the entire time. I'm still trying to figure out how to top this birthday trip.<br />
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I better start planning for next year now.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-68157436385722574772015-06-14T11:56:00.000-04:002015-06-14T11:56:13.586-04:00Thrill of a Lifetime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This June I roused The Overlord out of bed and into the shower. She asked if I was taking her to the store to pick up groceries. I told her no. Then she asked if I was taking her to the park. I hesitated. Yes, we were going to the park, but not the type of park she was thinking of.<br />
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"Kind of," was my reply. The park we were going to would have swings....<br />
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and slides and rides that rocked and could be played upon. I told her we were going to the amusement park.<br />
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To be more precise, we went to Kennywood Park out in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. Yet for most people heading out, they just say that the park is in Pittsburgh. We arrived when the gates opened at 11am as the admission lines were already long.<br />
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I choose this day to go because all the weather reports said that the temperatures would be hovering around 69 degrees and it would be cloudy -- the perfect weather where the humidity would be low, there would be a nice wind, and our skins wouldn't get baked by the sun while standing in line for the rides.<br />
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Unfortunately, the weather surprised everyone. It only reached 56 degrees. So it was a bit colder than expected. Yet this didn't stop the number of people there. And nobody looked like they were having a bad time because of the weather. The only difference was that the water rides would get neglected a bit more today.<br />
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For several days I had been planning out which rides to go on based on The Overlord's
age and height. From her last pediatrician's appointment, she ranged
about 36". So I knew KiddieLand rides would see the most action from us.
Yet I also didn't want to argue with the line attendants regarding the
bigger rides she could board with an adult. So the first stop was the
height station where I found out The Overlord has grown since February.
The attendant there marked her for 39"with the stamp on the back of the hand and that bumped us up to go on some more of the bigger rides. <br />
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The very first ride, The Overlord's inaugural ride, was the Jackrabbit roller coaster. It is a wooden ride and one of the last roller coasters in the country that has a double "camel back" drop, which is two humps as the coaster drops 70 feet down. The Overlord boarded the car and hugged me the entire ride as we screamed into the wind.<br />
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She loved it. She also loved riding the Paratrooper.<br />
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These were the first two rides we went to on the park and the last two rides we went on when leaving. While first starting out, she would give me the death grip because it was something new and exciting. So there was still that initial fear to conquer. On one of the rides, a young child cried because he was scared. I wasn't sure how The Overlord would react for her first time. She quickly overcame her first initial fear and jumped at going on the rides by herself.<br />
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The only time she cried was when she got impatient about getting off the Orbiter ride herself and couldn't get the belt unbuckled. She didn't want to wait for the ride attendant.<br />
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Yet otherwise, The Overlord had a great time. So great that she didn't want to sit down and eat anything for lunch.<br />
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We hit every ride in Kiddieland except for the Steel City Choppers (in case you want to see what the <a href="https://www.kennywood.com/things-to-do/attractions">amusement park</a> has to offer and are wondering what rides we enjoyed.) For roller coasters and thrill rides, we went on the Jackrabbit and the Pirate ship ride. We skipped the water rides.<br />
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We did go on the Classic & Dark rides as we visited the Auto Race, Kangaroo, Merry-Go-Round (the big one, not the one in Kiddieland), Turtle, Whip, and the Paddleboats (which is a separate price for the ride and you have to do the pumping of the boat as you steer around the lake trying to avoid running over the ducks).<br />
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The only mishap I had was riding the Lil' Phantom ride where I lost my cell phone although I did get it back (obviously since I'm posting these photos). I had made it a point to skip lugging around any purse or backpack to Kennywood. They do offer lockers ($5 and $10 return key deposit). But I didn't want to deal with having a large bag that I would need to drop off into the bag holder every time I boarded a ride. All I needed was my cell phone and money. So I carried a very small pocket book that could fit into my pants pocket. My hands were free for the day while I still had all the essentials to pay for food and check my email for work assignments (and I got slammed with work while at the park, but it could wait until later).<br />
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All in all, it was an enjoyable time. We never waited longer than 10 minutes -- if that -- to get on a ride. It was one of the reasons why I wanted to take The Overlord to the park before the end of the school year. We will probably head back there in the late summer/early fall when the kids go back to school and there are again less people at the park. <br />
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Oh, and if you took note of the small speck in the top left-hand corner of the last photo, that is not a bird or bug flying into the camera shot. That is a ride called the Skycoaster where people are strapped into a harness as they swing in the air over the pond that has the paddleboats. One of the few rides at the park that I can guarantee that I will never go on even if The Overlord is 7 feet tall.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-14373694440131573632015-05-06T13:16:00.000-04:002015-05-06T13:16:05.602-04:00Happenings Around And AboutI haven't posted here since December. That's quite a bit of time. Yet there were many things happening during those months that have kept me away. Doctor's appointments... apartment searches... pony rides....<br />
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Let's do a recap post to get this blog up to it's present state.<br />
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Spring has sprung and with it many changes, although other things have stayed the same. The Overlord is still her rambunctious self and celebrated a birthday during the intervening months. To do something a bit different, we had a cupcake birthday.<br />
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We have also enjoyed several different events throughout the year. The Carneige Museum of Natural History hosted plenty of "free" days. So we were able to visit the dinosaurs and go on a dinosaur dig.<br />
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We also had a chance to see Sesame Street Live where Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Grover took the stage. I have to admit that it was Count von Count that took the show and rocked the house with his dance number.<br />
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In addition to this show, we also had the chance to go to the Shrine Circus again. The tickets I had originally purchased had to be exchanged at the box office because the show organizers eliminated them. But the new seats allowed us to see all the action. And The Overlord had a chance to go on a pony ride.<br />
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Lastly, we moved to a different apartment. Technically, it is only a street over from where we used to live. But the rent was getting a bit too high at our previous spot. One of the perks is that we have a porch, as the Overlord sometimes spends her mornings taking photos of the morning birds having their breakfast.<br />
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Now if I could just get her to eat her own, I (and probably the disturbed birds) would be happy.<br />
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And that is about it for what has happened during the past few months. Tons of places to visit, work to do, and moving boxes to unpack (had a great set of movers from Steel City Movers -- thanks guys!)<br />
Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-55521048219363779852014-12-18T12:33:00.000-05:002014-12-18T12:33:01.977-05:00Have More Holiday Cheer For Your Fellow People<br />
Something interesting happened today.<br />
<br />
I went down to the store to
pick up a pack of butter.<br />
<br />
Well, it was actually margarine. I call all
margarine butter and all butter butter and... anyway. I was picking up
the butter in the little Italian store down the street. No. I didn't
pick up any pasta. A person can walk into an Italian store and just pick
up butter. I needed it to make an almond pound cake, which was
delicious by the way....<br />
<br />
Anyhow, there was a guy standing in line be<span class="text_exposed_show">hind
me. The Overlord was sitting in her stroller. One of the legs was bent on the
stroller as I cocked my head down to look. He looked down at The Overlord and
mentioned how quiet she is. I agreed and said it was a good thing
because she is always quiet in the store.</span><br />
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In less than a minute, the guy unleashed his life story. How he was
going to be a grandfather soon (congratulations). On how they hoped this
baby would come because the daughter had a miscarriage before (so
sorry). How he never sees the other grandkids because they live in
Virginia (well, maybe the holidays will bring you together). How he is
blamed for all the wrong happening in their lives and not seeing the
grandkids because of this daughter's divorce even though he was homeless
for awhile (Oh, okay).<br />
<br />
When I looked at him at one point, he had a
weird expression on his face -- something like a cross between
satisfaction and bitterness.<br />
<br />
During the holidays, there will
always be people who just need to vent about the bad stuff happening in
their lives. Just listen quietly and be supportive, even if they are
strangers, family or close friends. Letting them unleash the frustration
can be a very satisfying gift for them, and it will only take a minute
of your time to listen.<br />
<br />
A little understanding goes a long way, and I
hope something good starts happening in his life. <br />
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Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-83004920836185412482014-09-03T15:05:00.001-04:002014-09-04T13:38:48.593-04:00Just Keep On Keeping On.... And Complete The SurveysLife has its ups and downs. It is how we deal with the downs that make us unique, spur us to greater things, or sets us up to bigger failures the likes of which we have never seen.<br />
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That wasn't very encouraging, was it?<br />
<br />
What I meant to say is that there will be things in our lives that cause us the temporary bump in the road. Yet losing perspective and thinking that this bump is the "End of the World" when it is just a stumble along the path is what hampers us from succeeding at what we want to do.<br />
<br />
Take, for instance, the Overlord's pediatrician appointments.<br />
<br />
I loved the first pediatrician we had. A wonderful woman with a great sense of humor and she listened to what I had to say. So when she left that practice and suggested a replacement in the same office, I wasn't worried about getting a lower level of service.<br />
<br />
Ugh.<br />
<br />
The first time I was to meet the new pediatrician, I waited nearly 3 hours. At one point, the nurse came in, surprised, and asked if the doctor had come in to see us. Obviously not, or we would have left by then. Duh.<br />
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The next appointment was the fire alarm one. Another hour appointment turned into several hours as we all stood outside waiting for the fire trucks to show up.<br />
<br />
Now, for some people, they would rant and rave and cry and scream and throw fits until security tossed them out of the building. I didn't do any of those things. I quietly came home and waited for the pediatrician office survey to be sent to my email address. In that survey, I spoke up my concerns.<br />
<br />
After that survey, the quality of service increased. Instead of waiting an hour, I only waited 15 minutes. The doctor listened to what I had to say. It was marvelous. It was fantastic. And I said as much in the following surveys.<br />
<br />
So the time finally came when the surveys stopped. Perhaps they had enough information about the practice. Whatever the case may be, I haven't received a new one.<br />
<br />
So did the quality of service decrease? Yes, it would seem so. The last appointment we went to he didn't listen to me. He was preoccupied. He even went so far as to give my daughter a book to read, which would have been great if it wasn't in Spanish.<br />
<br />
I have a whole year until I see the doctor again. And the next appointment will allow me to decide if I should stick with this pediatrician or switch to someone else. We experienced a few bumps in the road, had a few low points, had a few high points, and even was set up to a big failure with her pediatrician.<br />
<br />
But I'll keep moving on. I won't stay with someone I don't like, because it wastes my time and his. It is not the END OF THE WORLD. It is just a minor inconvenience we will have to overcome.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-9415698888615597302014-07-03T20:16:00.001-04:002014-07-03T20:21:56.279-04:00A Sandy DayGive a child a grain of sand, and they will joyously toss it around until it gets into their eyes. Give a child a bucket of sand, and they will throw tantrums and scream their heart out if you try to take it away from them.<br />
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Yes, I just made that up. But it does illustrate that children love to play with sand even if they aren't at the beach. The Overlord had the opportunity to play with sand today at the EQT Regatta at Point State Park.<br />
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Okay, so that isn't sand. This is a picture of the geese and ducks along the river waiting for someone to toss a spare piece of bread or crackers out to them. It does show that we were right down by the water. </div>
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And this picture shows The Gateway Clipper boat making its way up the water. I've been on those boats several times and it is a very relaxing way to take a boat ride.<br />
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Finally! The Overlord playing in the sand. She had a ball, but it was HOT. It was suppose to be partly cloudy with a chance of rain. The rain never came and the clouds didn't show up until we were about to leave. Also, the wind showed up. If you have ever been by the river or sandy beach when the wind shows up, it is very strong with no trees, buildings or bushes to block its path. And it picked up the sand like it was... uh... sand to blow it into our eyes.<br />
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While the sand on the beach wasn't wet/compacted enough to make into grand masterpieces, The Overlord still had fun. She also threw a tantrum as we were about to leave. But kids will be kids. And we did leave some of The Overlord's masterpieces by the river. <br />
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Okay, I would <i>like </i>to claim The Overlord made this with the bucket and shovel. But no. This was made by Colcom as it is the reenactment of the Battle of Fort McHenry. If that doesn't sound familiar, start singing the Star-Spangled Banner. This sand sculpture was based on that poem that is now our national anthem.<br />
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It took three photos just to capture the entire sand sculpture and I still didn't get the whole thing in. This sculpture is HUGE! Those people in the sculpture are almost life-size that you could grab one of their rifles and drag the injured soldiers away. <br />
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And so this captures our trip to the EQT Regatta. Sandy fun.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-26933279066637862912014-06-14T21:49:00.001-04:002014-06-14T22:40:15.300-04:00A Day At The Point<br />
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If you aren't from around here, then you have no idea where this picture is taken at. Locals call it "The Point." Visitors call it Point State Park. Other people call it where the three rivers meet, or rather the Allegheny and Monongahela meets to form the Ohio River. And then there are still a few who may call it the place where people swim in dirty fountain water.<br />
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The Overlord did NOT swim in the dirty fountain water. But there were other kids romping in it. If you want to compare how dirty it is, then look at the photo below.<br />
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If you are wondering what is with all the water photos, let me explain. We are not at a water park. We are, in fact, at the Three Rivers Art Festival which was held at The Point. This annual event allows those with an artistic bent to come hock their wares, sing on stages and sell overpriced food. <br />
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Of course, there has to be something interesting for the kids. Here at the Heinz Cultural Trust section of the park, they had a small marina activity where kids could push boats around the fountain. At the creativity center further into the park, there were tons of kid-related activities. They could throw bean bags and win prizes, make dolls out of recycled materials, make worry dolls, hula hoop, skip rope and get their face painted. The Overlord has a butterfly painted on her arm with small gems glued onto the suns.<br />
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There was also several stages with bands playing. And they were awesome. While you may think this band is playing classical music with their trombones, they are actually playing hip pop music.<br />
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This photo is taken closer to The Point. You can see Heinz Stadium where the Pittsburgh Steelers play and part of the Science Center on the left side across the river. <br />
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I suppose I can't go to an arts festival without showing some of the art. This outdoor art exhibit is under the bridge leading to The Point. Yes, it is a bunch of tee shirts hanging on displays sitting in water. No, I haven't the slightest clue on how this is considered art. Yes, there are all types of logos on the shirts, even a few AC/DC ones. Perhaps it's supposed to symbolize our culture drowning in the corporate-controlled waters. I don't know. </div>
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And last but never least, Jaq got another balloon art piece. A hat. It is currently taped to another door so it doesn't pop. We had a very exciting time, and The Overlord may even be featured in an art exhibit in the near future. But I don't want to say anything until that actually happens. <br />
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I will mention that we almost didn't get home. There was something else being held downtown as bus transportation was being diverted. Many of the streets were closed and there were rainbow banners set up.... Okay, I just Googled it and found out it was a "Pride in the Street" event and a Chaka Khan concert. Wow, what a busy Saturday!Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-1841573756746880522014-06-10T21:30:00.003-04:002014-06-10T22:16:24.600-04:00Fizz, BoomIt might sound like I am about to talk about a major soft drink, but instead I am about to talk about the Carnegie Library Extravaganza that was held last Sunday that was called" Fizz, Boom -- Read Your Way Into Summer" This extravaganza was open to the public as it encouraged people of all ages to come spend the day learning and engaging in activities.<br />
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The extravaganza was separated into several tents scattered outside the Carnegie Library in Oakland (I later found out after the event that there were also activities inside the library). There was music from Radio Disney, The Obama Academy Steel Band and other musicians playing on stage. It was also an opportunity for vendors to hock their businesses although everything was free except the food from the food trucks. The Overlord even got an airbrushed temporary tattoo of a butterfly on her leg. They had everything there.<br />
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We tried to visit most of the booths, yet only made it through half on the one side of the library. The Overlord was able to plant seeds in a pot (they are starting to sprout now so we will be able to see what type of plants they are.) She was also able to build sculptures out of things found in nature, make a paper book worm, make a bookmark, paint her own cookie (thanks to Eat N' Park) and go down the massive slide above. Yes. The Overlord went down that huge thing by herself. And she climbed up it holding onto ropes. What a little trooper!<br />
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We also rode on the trolley by Molley's Trolleys. This is an actual trolley that they converted into a street vehicle. They played songs such as Mister Roger's Neighborhood, The Sound of Music and other kid-happy musicals and shows. Then we waited an hour for a balloon figure. And it was worth it. They were making spiders, octopuses (octopi?), rainbows, pirate hats and swords, and the flower bracelet that The Overlord is wearing on her wrist.<br />
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The Carnegie Library Extravaganza was a very large event with tons of people there. We listened to storybook readings and took home a free storybook. I can't think of a better event to go to when supporting the local library and getting kids interested in books. I can't wait to go again with The Overlord next year.<br />
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The only downside was the rain. It rained about two minutes after we arrived, stopped for about half an hour and then poured again for a few minutes. After that last shower, it was sunny for the rest of the time. I had the umbrella there, but must have left it on the bench somewhere. Oh well. There were holes in the top of it so I guess it was time to retire it and buy a new one. Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-6961145792447448152014-04-16T10:08:00.000-04:002014-04-17T22:35:54.956-04:00An Evening At The Shrine Circus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the things about having a writing gig and working from home is that I can schedule special events where we don't have to go out in the evenings. A trip to the zoo? We head out when the zoo opens at 9am. A trip to the movies? We are there for the first showing of the day at 10:30am. A trip to the Barnum & Bailey Circus? We are in our seats before 11am.<br />
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So why did we go to the Shrine Circus at 7pm? It was opening night and the seats were less expensive. They were only playing a 3-night gig. If we showed up on the second or third night, it would have cost twice as much for the same seats. But the only show available was the 7pm one. So that is when we ventured into downtown Pittsburgh.<br />
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There were clowns everywhere. The Overlord was nervous about meeting them, yet then again she is still shy of people as she places her face into my shirt. Yet, we walked up to almost every clown. And every clown who asked for a "high-five" from the Overlord received one from her.<br />
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Perhaps the one thing different about the Shrine Circus from other events is the really high pressure selling. You couldn't get anything cheap, not even the programs that were 4 bucks each. Before the show, during the admission, and after the show they set up rides. Kids could get their face painted, ride on a small train, jump on a bouncy slide, go on a camel/pony/elephant ride (I'm talking about the ACTUAL animals -- not on plastic ones) for a price. I guess this is how the Shrine Circus funds its trips across the country and pays the actors. Yet they could have skipped asking the audience, during the show, to buy the overpriced trinkets hocked by the sellers going up and down the aisles. That was a bit too much. <br />
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The acts were amazing. Lions -- and house cats -- doing tricks. People doing acrobatics in the air. Bears dancing Gangnum style. And a gigantic crossbow that launched a flaming guy through the air. We had front row seats, and it was worth the price. The only downside was the two boys sitting behind us who fidgeted and rolled about in their seats. They were there to see Spiderman. They didn't want to see anything else. But overall, it was a fun time. Got there at 7pm and got home a little after 11pm.<br />
<br />Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-42030045835396147082014-04-07T09:43:00.001-04:002014-04-07T09:46:24.445-04:00LinkedIn - Don't Spam On MeSo today I opened my email to see a message with the headline "company I work for member." I'm a little confused. "Okay, what did I do now" ran through my mind. I open up the email to see this message:<br />
<i><br />Hi Michelle - It's [name deleted],<br /><br />Hope all is well. I'd like to recommend clients to "company I work for" so I've added you to my referral network.<br /><br />Simply click the link below and we can start exchanging referrals. Thanks!<br /><br />Best,<br />[name deleted]<br />[business deleted]</i><br />
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There is a link to a business called Referral Key. Since I always do my research (because I can't imagine a person who is in the writing business wants to refer his clients over to someone else in the writing business so he makes less money while I get his clients), I Google the heck out of all of this.<br />
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A good article that talks about this is <a href="http://clairediazortiz.com/what-is-referral-key/">here</a>. Another good article is <a href="http://www.millercathy.com/how-referral-keys-spammy-practice-embarrassed-pollyanna/">here</a>.<br />
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Basically, people from LinkedIn are asked to refer their client contacts with other people. As an extra incentive, you can receive prizes such as "money" or money that can be exchanged for gifts like clothing or steak.<br />
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Wow! Isn't that just a great service! Makes me want to sign up in a heartbeat. And while it sounds like good business sense, there are several things that jump out at me immediately.<br />
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Why would I refer clients to other businesses that I don't know, have never done business with, and can't vouch that their services are any good?<br />
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Why would I refer clients to other businesses for "supposed cash" that can be used to buy things from the website's collaborators?<br />
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Why would I work with a referral service that is in collaboration with a competitor of "company I work for?"<br />
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Why would I work with a business that spams the crap out of all my LinkedIn contacts? <br />
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Of course I didn't sign up to the service or even click on the link. I'm debating about deleting the contact, but they may not know that Referral Key spams the crap out of contact lists. Just a heads up! Think about things before you click on them.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-52423395425029238952014-03-09T12:35:00.000-04:002014-03-09T12:44:21.220-04:00Olympic Skaters In CostumeLast Thursday the Overlord and I had the opportunity to watch Olympic and world class skaters show their mettle on the ice at the Consol Energy Center. They twirled. They did backflips. And they wore colorful costumes that even kids enjoyed.<br />
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If you are wondering what the heck that is, it is the gray whale Monstro from the Disney film, "Pinocchio." It had just eaten Geppetto and Pinocchio who were being chased around the ice rink. Before that, we saw a happy little dance of puppet skaters make their way around the rink and the blue fairy skate as if she were flying in the air. <br />
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Yes, that is a castle in this picture. It is supposed to represent the large castles found in a southern state plagued with hurricanes as people spend charge large amounts of cash to see an overly sized mouse in red pants. In other words, it is supposed to represent Disneyland/world. <br />
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The Overlord and I went to see Disney On Ice. It was a hard decision to even go there. The tickets cost about as much as going to Florida to see the real thing. If a person wanted to sit in the bottom section there, they had to fork over $70-$100 dollars a ticket. Even the nosebleed section weren't cheap as those seats cost $26. And that doesn't even include all the fees and taxes they piled on.<br />
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I was sent the first email about the show for the ticket presale several weeks ago. Even at a 10% discount, I wasn't interested because the Overlord hasn't been interested about any Disney characters although she has seen a few of the movies. Then I was sent another email about tickets and I dumped it without even reading the message. The third email about 50% off tickets is what caught my attention. They were for the cheap seats in the nosebleed section on the third tier of the Consol Energy Center Arena. I bought two tickets.<br />
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I also noticed that the people who did buy the expensive front seats all had kids dressed up as Disney characters. There were dozens of princesses and superheroes down there occasionally shaking hands with the skaters who came nearby.<br />
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I must say the first hour was very entertaining. All the kids were quiet and still in their seats. After the intermission, they started the 2nd hour of the show which I liked. But by this time, most of the kids around the arena were restless and shifting about and wanted to do something besides sit there in their seats. I don't have any photos to show of the ice skaters themselves because they are blurry and bright. The spotlight reflecting off the ice distorts the image. The only way to really show the characters skating to you is through a video, which I do have but it takes so long for Blogger to load video and I don't feel like uploading a 3-minute video for 3 hours.<br />
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So that was our adventure to Disney On Ice. If you are a person who loves the classic Disney movies (Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast) then you and the kids will enjoy the show. But if you are looking for the newer movies such as Tangled, Frozen or Wall-E, you may be a bit disappointed. They don't have those characters. They have all the Disney princesses and segments dedicated to Mulan as well as The Lion King. But the newest characters they have in the show are Stitch from Lilo & Stitch and The Incredibles. The show does sometimes feel dated with Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty characters.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-46902608259196095852014-01-09T13:21:00.002-05:002014-01-09T13:38:22.078-05:0011 QuestionsSometimes memes migrate around social media sites. Luckily, this isn't one of those. <a href="http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/">My friend Suldog</a> did 11 questions posted by another blogger and then listed his own. For fun, and because I need to put something here at Ye Olde Blog, I decided to post his questions and my accompanying answers...<br />
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Be afraid... be very afraid...<br />
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<b>1 - Have you ever voluntarily put anything up your nose aside from drugs?</b><br />
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Tissues. I have allergies that rage during the summer and winter. If my fingers say something different, they are lying.<b><br /></b>
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<b>2 - Is it still there?</b><br />
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Let me check... not at the moment. I think they are off to lunch.<b><br /></b><br />
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<b>3 - How many real teeth (that is, not store bought) do you have in your mouth?</b><br />
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32. Due to the wonders of human anatomy, I have four extra in my mouth called wisdom teeth. Funny how I went through numerous dentist appointments to get my teeth all straight and looking good during my teenage years all to have those 4 teeth erupt later in life, making things all crooked in my mouth. Not the wisest things for them to do.<br />
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<b>(If you have them anywhere else, please elucidate.) </b><br />
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Ah... no.<b><br /></b>
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<b>4 - If you could take any two things on the planet and staple them together, what would they be?</b><br />
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Cigarettes and squirrels. Let's see how many people stop smoking when lighting both on fire and shoving them in their mouths.<br />
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<b>5 - Do you think plants can hear you think?</b><br />
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No. Because if plants could hear us think, they would be majorly pissed every time a person thought about watering them and then forgot to do it for 6 months. Can you imagine such emotional distress?<br />
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Human: "I think I'll water you today."<br />
Plant reading what the human thought: "Hooray! I've been so thirsty for so long that I feel my petals drooping."<br />
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Human (6 months later) "I think I'll water you today."<br />
Plant (half-dead): "I hate you, you lying bastard."<b><br /></b><br />
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<b>6 - How many rocks are in your house?</b><br />
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Seriously, more than I probably think there are. The Overlord likes to hide rocks and bring them home as pets. <br />
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<b>7 - If I asked you to shove a toy surprise up my ass and call me
Crackerjack, would you compare and contrast Napoleon's march on Moscow
with Ritchie Blackmore's guitar solo on <i>Highway Star</i>?</b><br />
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Who's Ritchie Blackmore?<br />
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<b>8 - Why are you still reading this?</b><br />
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Because I'm taking pity on you.<br />
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<b>9 - Do you think it's going to get better?</b><br />
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It could. Always be optimistic. Things could be worse. You could be a dying plant that can read human thoughts while trying to light a cigarette/squirrel.<br />
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<b>10 - Why is a kumquat not entirely unlike a porcupine?</b><br />
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They are both funny to say together.<br />
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<b>11 - When do you think the world will end?</b> <br />
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According to the Mayans, it already has.<br />
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And those are my answers to Suldog's 11 questions. I'd come up with my own 11 questions to ask, but I will spare you the agony.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-14044640240557950282013-12-06T19:38:00.001-05:002013-12-17T13:23:15.844-05:00Happy Holidays... Seasons Greetings... Merry ChristmasOkay, so what is the big deal with the holiday greeting hoopla?<br />
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I'm seeing it again this year on a few Facebook posts. Some people will post memes that they don't say "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." Instead, they say "Merry Christmas" and are darn proud about it! There are even FB groups of people declaring that others should say "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays" as they try to justify the fact that people hand out Christmas gifts and not holiday gifts.<br />
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Jeez... really... that's what Christmas is about? The gifts?<br />
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For me, I'll say, "Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings" and any other thing that represents this festive season. Why? Because it is not the greeting itself that matters. It is the sentiment attached to it that counts. Nobody is insulting you if they use a different holiday greeting than what you use. Really. They're not.<br />
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It's okay. It's all right. Put the flaming pitchforks, or menorahs, down. Nobody is trying to diss the Christmas holiday. There aren't gangs roaming the streets with the words "Merry Xmas" and "H. Holidays" on their jackets, snapping their fingers to Bing Crosby's "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" as they are about to get into a fight on the Manhattan streets like in West Side Story.<br />
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Just be glad that someone was kind enough to send you a holiday greeting. Don't worry about the greeting itself unless they said "Happy Easter" to you. Then you can beat them down with your sugar cookies, candy canes and eggnog for uttering such an atrocity.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-21593055759143383182013-11-11T12:27:00.000-05:002013-11-11T12:27:09.276-05:00Seeing The Greatest Show On Earth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday, I took the Overlord to see something that she has never seen before, and something that I haven't seen since I was 6. The circus.<br />
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To elaborate, we went to the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus held at the Consol Energy Center. The theme this year was Dragons. So the entire circus had more of an oriental feel with swordsman and Japanese drums and acts of strength with people breaking wooden sticks with their heads.<br />
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As I mentioned before, the last time I was at the circus I was 6. I remember the smell of animal dung and hay was strong in the air. Hay bales laid in circles to form a ring as the ringmaster introduced all the acts.<br />
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Above is the ringmaster for this show. A very eye-appealing dark-skinned fellow who introduced acts and sang. Yes, he sang through most of the show and was very good at it. His name is Jonathan Lee Iverson and he is officially the first African American ringmaster to join the Ringling Brothers circus. You can read more about him <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/johnathan-lee-iverson-new-york-african-american-ringmaster-ringling-brothers-circus-article-1.176298">here</a>. I'm giving him a plug because he waved at me while heading 'off stage' when one of the acts started. Our seats were at one of the entrances for the acts to enter the arena. He didn't have to do that, but he did. So he gets his props here. You can also see a better picture of him through the link.<br />
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The circus had all tha acts you would come to expect. They had the lion tamer featured above and the elephant balancing act featured in the photo below.<br />
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I don't want to say too much about the circus because there was a theme to it, with a logical set of acts to support that theme. So if you plan to take the kids, you'll enjoy the experience without any spoilers coming from here.<br />
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While the circus was geared toward kids, it will definitely awe the adults who go there who don't have any little ones. And you won't smell animal dung. They kept it extremely well-cleaned. There isn't even any hay bales to mark the ring parameter if you have hay fever.<br />
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The Overlord enjoyed some of the show but was antsy for a bit. There was a kid behind us with an over-priced spinning light toy that made the Overlord reach out for it and get angry that I didn't buy her one. Um... $17 for a light-up toy? I don't think so. Even the light-up necklaces were $11 a pop. And the food prices at the Consol Energy Center were outrageous. I spent a total of $9 and change for a regular french fry and a small container of apple juice that I probably would have spent $5 for at a McDonalds. Yeesh!<br />
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Anyway, it was an entertaining 3 hours out on the town. If the weather was better here (40 to 50 degrees outside), it would have made everything perfect. Yet I had no complaints about the circus or the seats (we were six rows up in two seats that were separate from the rest of the aisle -- we felt very important) as I'll take her again when the circus comes rolling into town. Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-46802712185688536652013-10-31T12:59:00.000-04:002013-10-31T12:59:11.007-04:00Happy Halloween!Yeah, I know I don't usually make a post on Halloween. But I need to add some new content and I have the time to post something interesting at the same time. So here it is.<br />
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Hey, it isn't every day a person gets to pet an African elephant dressed up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Eat lots of candy!<br />
Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-48291937226871034852013-10-08T12:09:00.000-04:002014-07-03T10:30:28.588-04:00The Wonderful, Whimsical, And Worrisome World Of Writing<span style="color: black; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I use Grammarly's <a href="http://www.grammarly.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">plagiarism checker online</a> because copying someone's work gets you verbally flayed in a Grumpy Cat meme. </span></span> </span><br />
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Before I start this post, let me give a shout-out to MLGF (my lighter gray/grey friend) <a href="http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2013/10/discovered-me.html">Jim Sullivan</a> who has recently made the jump into the world of writing. He has always been a great writer, and now people can read his works on a national level. Jim works for the Discover Magazine, checking the facts of articles sent in. Yesterday, he had <a href="http://discovermagazine.com/authors/jim-sullivan#.UlI0GFPl6yJ">one of his own articles</a> published there -- a wonderful piece about introducing robotics into the classroom. So go read the story and subscribe to the magazine.<br />
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So here we are, talking about the world of writing. I don't normally talk about the mechanics or opinions of it. But I'm getting something special from someone (see the first line at the top) for making a post about it here, so I'm not going to complain about it.<br />
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I've been a part of the writing world for many years, and I've seen the good side and the bad side of it. <br />
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The good side: pays the bills, lets you meet new people, lets you connect with professionals where they are sending you email messages to work with their client/company (yes, it has happened).<br />
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The bad side: dealing with people who don't believe you can make money from writing, clients who overwork their writers for little pay, writers who diss clients on a major scale.<br />
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People in the writing world can be affected by the good side and the bad side of it in different ways. Some keep an open perspective about it, realizing it is just like any other profession as they deal with it in a professional manner.<br />
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Then there are people who have become bitter about it. If the person is a writer, they hate the clients, editors and other writers who they believe are making their lives nuts. If they are a client, they believe writers are cocky and belligerent. If the person isn't either, they can't understand why a person would want to become a writer when they should get a "real job."<br />
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I'm going to talk about the bad side of writing, since the good side basically speaks for itself. Every instance that I'm going to talk about will deal with an actual experience I've gone through or witnessed. So let's get started:<br />
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So is it a "real job?"</h3>
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I always find this question incredibly funny when I am asked about it. It's like walking into an office building with hundreds of people typing away on their computers filling out reports and documents as you walk up to each person and ask if the words they are typing on the screen would be considered "real work" all because they are typing words on a screen. <br />
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I can imagine those six little words can be incredibly offensive to some writers. It's like nobody is taking their job seriously. Me? I laugh about it and give an honest answer.<br />
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"Yes, writing is a real job if you look at it as getting money from a business to produce a service that they benefit from. I get a W2 form every year. I pay taxes on the money I make. I pay the bills, buy groceries and stare at it in my purse wondering if I have enough to purchase those delicious soft cookies at the convenience store at the end of the block."<br />
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Questions posed by truly curious people doesn't affect me in any way. It's those comments made by ignorant people where they say "get a real job" or "go out and work" that can be a bit annoying and have me thinking the words in the photo below.<br />
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What difference would it make if I worked from home or from an office? I'm still writing words on a screen and you are benefiting from it. I am writing the product descriptions that you will read to purchase that item you need in your daily life. I am writing the web page for a business so they can advertise their services to consumers so THEY can make a living. I am writing the article for people to gain a greater understanding of products and services so they can make informed decisions about their life<br />
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Yes, it is a real job that everyone needs.<br />
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Why should I pay top dollar for words that I could write myself?</h3>
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Some clients... some... treat writers like immigrant workers in the fields. They don't want to pay a fair rate to the worker because they feel like that person should be grateful for being given the job that they could do themselves.<br />
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MWAHAHAHAHA!<br />
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Come off it. Seriously, I work through a company. They receive THOUSANDS of article orders -- sometimes in a single day -- from serious business clients who know it would take them forever to write that many words on the screen at a proficient level. And those clients may be working with THOUSANDS of businesses that need web pages, articles, blogs, product descriptions, white pages, technical papers and other writing services.<br />
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Writer don't have to work for peanuts because, just like you, they have a right to live in a nice place and drive in a nice car and eat nice food as they watch their favorite programs on a nice television. It's a job. It's a career. And just like you expect to be paid a fair salary for the work that you do, writers (gasp!) expect the same thing.<br />
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Why don't clients know what they want and are so rude to writers? </h3>
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Then there comes the self-righteous writer. They have <strike>their heads up their asses</strike> <strike>an inflated ego</strike> have dealt with people not taking their jobs seriously that they are on the defensive every time they speak/work with a client. This behavior gets them into serious trouble.<br />
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Recently, a writer on the company forums was talking about how a client was treating them about an assignment. The client had changed their mind about how they wanted the article to be written. It happens. It is allowed. The writer didn't understand the client's instructions and decided to "inform" the client about the lack of understanding over the assignment. Then the writer went on to "inform" the client that their website had a lot to be desired, how the client should work better to display the correct information on the web page, and that the writer didn't really care about the client in any way except to place another dollar into their bank account. Then the writer talked about going to the client's Yelp page to see if there were any complaints and threatening to post something there.<br />
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The writer posted word-for-word what he wrote to the client on the forum page. I read it. I can honestly say that the writer was the epitome of the photo above. It was the wrong thing to do. He overstepped his bounds and commonsense. The company I work for did the right thing. They suspended him for a time to investigate the problem, then fired him.<br />
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Writers still need to understand that what they do is a business. While they have the right to be treated and paid fairly, they must also treat their clients fairly. It is all a business, and business can be good for everyone when everybody gives mutual respect. Period. Leave the inflated egos at the door.<br />
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So I've talked, and skimmed, over the good and bad sides of writing. It is wonderful. It is whimsical. And it can be worrisome. But it is like every other profession out there. It is a job some people love and some people hate. Yet it is needed.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-76769131896348095632013-09-21T21:52:00.001-04:002013-09-21T22:06:52.657-04:00A Day Out For Some FunLast Monday, September 16, was a brisk and wet morning. The Overlord and I was up at our usual time, 30 minutes before the bank opened yet an hour or so after the local grocery store unlocked its doors. The Overlord was moving about the room, doing her usual thing of playing. I was getting in a few articles for work when I realized it had been some time since I had taken The Overlord out for a good romp through the park.<br />
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So I showered up, grabbed our shoes and we headed outside. Yet we didn't go to the park that was so close. Instead we caught the bus. About 20 minutes later, we arrived at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium.<br />
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We walked the entire length of the zoo, seeing every exhibit we could possibly see and every animal that was out and about.<br />
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It's strange about the way we see a zoo for the first time. While my parents "claimed" they had taken me to the zoo, I can't imagine them walking the entire breadth of the place.<br />
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So this was my first official visit that I could remember. The zoo isn't like what you imagine from those Pepe Le Pew cartoons on Loony Tunes when he is chasing the black cat with the painted white stripe on its back.<br />
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You, at first, imagine cement and steel cages with the animals sitting comfortably in the enclosure. Yet this zoo was more wild-like, as if you are walking through the jungle and you happen upon the animal in its habitat as you hope it doesn't spot you. Many enclosures had a drop-off point and a small fence to keep the people back. But it definitely had a more, traversing the wild, effect even indoors.<br />
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As for a little background into the history of the place, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium is 117 years old and ranked the 3rd top children's zoo across the nation. Out of those 117 years, there has only been one accident.<br />
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It actually happened recently, when a woman placed her child on the railing to the painted dog enclosure. She lost her grip and the child fell in. The child survived the fall, but was killed by the wild dogs. The authorities investigated and didn't charge the woman as she is presently suing the zoo on wrongful negligence. The zoo has countered in court documents claiming the woman was negligent in placing her child up on the railing. I can attest that I would never place a child up on there for a better look at anything -- and if I had been that woman I would be occupying a jail cell right now on a number of felony charges.<br />
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The zoo removed the painted dogs and placed a cheetah in that exhibit. But I digress.<br />
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It takes over 2 hours to physically walk through the zoo and see all the exhibits. You can opt to ride in a motorized wheeled chair, much as you would see at your local Walmart, or take a ride on the tour jeep with a guide.<br />
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About every 10 to 20 steps was a bench for people to rest, and I would suggest for anyone going there to take advantage of it. We never stopped walking, as by the end of the visit my feet ached terribly and the muscles in my legs burned at every step.<br />
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At some instances when seeing an animal in the zoo, you sort of feel sorry for it, such as the polar beer above and the orangutan below. The polar bear seemed like in a trance, as it would pace several steps forward to the edge where it stood and then paced backwards to the sleeping entrance, head swinging obsessively. What type of effect does captivity have on these animals?<br />
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The zoo also has an aquarium and reptile house. The overlord enjoyed looking at the fish as we saw everything from blue lobster to giant Pacu that you might see in an episode of River Monsters on the Animal Planet channel.<br />
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Will we go there again? Certainly! Will we see all the animals again? Maybe.<br />
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There's really no way to navigate the zoo without passing through each area, so it will still be a long walk about. But we will go about it in a more leisurely stroll and take advantage of the rest stops.<br />
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And here are a few more photos of our visit.<br />
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As for the kangaroos, you can actually go into the closure. If they come up to you, you can pet them. But otherwise you have to stay on the path without taking off your clothes and running about saying, "Suu-wee!"<br />
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<br />Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-27204601375627858932013-09-01T12:46:00.005-04:002013-09-01T13:42:29.355-04:00Walk, Meander, Stroll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LPyOQAdpuZx8uLOq7u4Jwmbh8enOICXk0aIu04_MQxntF4WZhyQzgeqbG6tg_hCnFO1mpqkKV6JgLeo-mDKfIk-4iWnPWRr7tW9Jf1nEXE3ziyoyzrelsrZXxTKTyDSoxxysWSu1rb8M/s1600/bloomfield8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LPyOQAdpuZx8uLOq7u4Jwmbh8enOICXk0aIu04_MQxntF4WZhyQzgeqbG6tg_hCnFO1mpqkKV6JgLeo-mDKfIk-4iWnPWRr7tW9Jf1nEXE3ziyoyzrelsrZXxTKTyDSoxxysWSu1rb8M/s320/bloomfield8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Walks are a part of our daily regimen.<br />
<br />
The Overlord and I will go on a walk to get to know the neighborhood, as I let her take the lead. We will go as far up a street until The Overlord's confidence wanes. Then we will head back down and take a different route. We walk around the hospital block numerous times, as she sits on each bench to watch the cars go by (there has to be about 10 benches surrounding the hospital).<br />
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Walk... meander... stroll... strut... we do it all. We will make funny types of walks like we are in a marching band, high-stepping our legs and smacking shoes against the pavement. Then we will switch over to tiny tipsy toe steps, like a Tom and Jerry cartoon where Tom is trying to sneak up on Jerry but has forgotten that he had already switched on the trap as the bowling bowl rolling along the ramp is about to dent in his head.<br />
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We sometimes see very interesting things along our walks. One house has a paved front yard, as a large Buddha statue sits out on the cement. A reflecting pool is in front of the statue and a reflective roof as the sunlight hits the water and creates colors of light to stream across the statue.<br />
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On another walk, we will come up to the "birdhouse" house. Small birdhouses hang on the door front as the large tree at the sidewalk has an assortment of different types of birdhouses in the branches. There are spaceship-shaped birdhouses, pagoda-shaped birdhouses, birdhouse-shaped birdhouses... you probably get my point. There has to be well over 20 birdhouses sitting in just this one tree, and none of them are actually occupied by a bird. I believe they are just there for decoration, the holes too small for a bird to nest inside.<br />
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Recently, one of our walks happened to be during the annual "Little Italy Fair" held along the street. Lots of vendors set up tents as you could buy stuffed peppers next to Chinese chicken on a stick next to Indian clothes next to motorcycles. How all these things relate to Italy, besides the cigar table with the betting games and every table selling some form of cannoli, is beyond me. We purchased a bit of fried dough --one day old-- as we tore through it despite it being a little tough.<br />
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Much like a meandering walk that doesn't have a bit of rhyme or reason to it, so too has this post began to meander about. So I will end it with one more thing. Our favorite time to go for a walk is right after a good rain, as The Overlord will jump into every puddle she could find. One day, she was shaking the wet leaves on the bushes. Then the bushes began to shake on their own as a large type of bug, half the size of my fist, came out making loud clicking noises as it flew away. I have no idea what it was, but the bug didn't stop The Overlord from continuing her walk as she thoroughly soaked her shoes.<br />
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We continued to stroll... meander... walk along...<br />
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<br />Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-75439880419238419822013-07-29T11:53:00.002-04:002013-07-29T12:27:53.542-04:00Coins In A Machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I was going to make a funny and clever post about the new parking meters that have infiltrated the city like alien eavesdropping devices. But I think this photo could be served for a much better purpose.<br />
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At the beginning of the month, I found out some troubling news. A fellow blogger had died. Although we weren't the closest of friends, I did know about this blogger for about 2 years through a tenuous Internet relationship that allowed me to see her accomplishments in the book world as she offered opportunities for writers to interact with editors and agents through contests while she was trying to get two of her own stories published.<br />
<br />
Then, someone posted a news story on Facebook this month.<br />
<br />
In this news story, it talked about a Maryland woman sitting in her car on the shoulder of a busy interstate highway. It talked about the woman getting out of the car and walking into the busy road as she was struck by a vehicle. It also talked about the police finding a suicide note on the car seat.<br />
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The news story was dated 2012.<br />
<br />
So, for over a year, nobody knew what had happened to her. Those people who she created strong friendships with, way stronger than the passing acquaintance I had with her, weren't aware that she had committed suicide as they sent her emails and letters and phone calls trying to draw her back into the Internet conversation -- all the while with no response. They had assumed she had withdrawn from blogging and the Internet to focus more on her writing.<br />
<br />
The reasons for her suicide still remains unclear, although many people knew about her struggles to keep custody of her two sons from the father who lived overseas. All that is known is that many people felt both sad about her suicide and that they had lost contact with her, believing they could have done more to stop her from committing such an act.<br />
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I have a very clear opinion about suicide. I don't believe in it. I don't believe that life can get so bad where a person feels the need to proverbially "check-out." As a kid, I believed suicide was the coward's way out of life. You can fight for what you want even when it feels like everything is taken from you. Quietly plan, plot and then kick life in the ass. This is my personal opinion that keeps ME going on. Do what needs to be done. Period.<br />
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Yet I don't believe this woman was a coward. I think life got so complicated for her that she didn't see much point in going on, and that her absence wouldn't be noticed. But it was noticed by a lot of people.<br />
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I remember being told about a school neighbor who committed suicide when she became an adult. I remember how hard life was when growing up. She moved here from Germany, and the school kids picked on her because she had blond hair and blue eyes. They called her a Nazi, threw stuff at her on the school bus, and were horrible to the girl. I don't know what circumstances in her adult life contributed to her taking her own life, but I'm sure her school days were a part of the decision.<br />
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At the top of the post is a parking meter. Although it looks all fancy and technologically advanced, it is still the same as the old meters. You place coins into it, and you are given a certain amount of time to park there. If you park too long, you get a ticket.<br />
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The same thing happens in life. You put so much into it to get a certain benefit, privilege, right, <i>something </i>back out of it. The more you put in, the more you will see some type of result. Sometimes those results aren't what you wanted. But just deal with the shortfalls, pay the damn tickets, and keep moving forward.<br />
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You may not immediately notice the benefits of the meter, or they may be so small that you take it for granted. But they are there. Just like the friendships and good times in your life. They are there, but you may take them for granted because you don't immediately see the benefits of them.<br />
<br />
They are the coins you put into the machine... your life. And the more you put in, the more your life has meaning. Don't let the bad things take advantage of you where you can no longer count the benefits, the blessings, that are right there in your life.<br />
<br />Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-16331073189704353262013-06-09T10:47:00.001-04:002013-06-09T10:47:21.000-04:00Ode To A Boston Bear <br />
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/fjy_2UCnX-4/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/fjy_2UCnX-4&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/fjy_2UCnX-4&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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So the Boston Bruins defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in a huge sweep as
they move forward to play the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals.
They will have to put up as many amazing tricks as the bear above to win the series, and I'm hoping it does happen because I can't think of a more deserving sports team (besides the Penguins) who should win. According to the bet I made with <a href="http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/">Jim Sullivan</a>, I now must do an homage
to the Bruins Hockey franchise and the city of Boston. Here is my homage
to these bears.<br />
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<b>Ode to a Boston Bear</b><br />
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Settled in 1630,<br />
Puritans swam across the sea.<br />
They came upon a land all pur'ty,<br />
as they said, "A colony shall be started here be we."<br />
<br />
They named the city Trimountaine<br />
But thought it was too long of a name.<br />
Dumping British tea into the harbor after cleaning and dustin'<br />
They decided to come up with the name of Boston<br />
<br />
The Boston Bruins came to be in 1962.<br />
Hockey in a city so cold, why aren't their butts..er..uniforms blue?<br />
The third oldest team in the NHL as one of the Original Six.<br />
You should see these bears hit the ice, swinging those hockey sticks.<br />
<br />
They skate, they lunge, they block as the black puck hits the net.<br />
Is there a team that can stop these bears? That's a sucker bet!<br />
Shall they win the cup this year? We shall have to wait and see.<br />
It will be a grand sight to see the bears lifting The Cup while drinking Boston tea.<br />
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<br />Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-9273997488403079872013-06-03T09:25:00.003-04:002013-06-03T09:28:08.814-04:00The Game Is On!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Pittsburgh%27s_Vince_Lombardi_Trophy_&_Stanley_Cup_2009.jpg/800px-Pittsburgh%27s_Vince_Lombardi_Trophy_&_Stanley_Cup_2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Pittsburgh's_Vince_Lombardi_Trophy_&_Stanley_Cup_2009.jpg/800px-Pittsburgh's_Vince_Lombardi_Trophy_&_Stanley_Cup_2009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo courtesy of <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pittsburgh%27s_Vince_Lombardi_Trophy_%26_Stanley_Cup_2009.jpg">Wikimedia</a></i></span></div>
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The Stanley Cup finals are underway, as the Pittsburgh Penguins play against the Boston Bruins to play in the finals against either the Kings or the Blackhawks in the Western Conference.</div>
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As usual, I've been watching the game, working and taking care of The Overlord. So I haven't had much time to update the old blog. But I wanted to stop in and tell you about a little something happening between me and another blogger.</div>
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I made a bet with my friend <a href="http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2013/05/pre-games.html">Jim</a> that the Pens would beat the Bruins during this series. He, of course living in Boston, has bet against the Pens. As is usual with the sports world, a little friendly wager was initiated. The rules: whoever loses must make a post about the other team as they give abundant amounts of praise and kudos and general good feelings about the winner's city and hockey team. </div>
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No problem. The Penguins will win. I hope. Or I'll be talking about some bears that need a bit of stuffing around their loose taxidermy stitching like this guy obviously needs.</div>
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If the Penguins do win the game, then the bet continues with <a href="http://www.splitsandgiggles.blogspot.com/">Chris Mauger</a> if his L.A. Kings beats the Blackhawks. Unfortunately, I take it none of us knows any Blackhawks fans, so I'm hoping Chris wins just for the sake of the bet.</div>
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Stay tuned for my post about the Bruins if they win. The team is already up 1-0. Hopefully, the Pens will stop the hemorrhaging early and take the lead. </div>
Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-86257642581667848472013-03-17T15:44:00.002-04:002013-03-17T15:44:40.708-04:00Letter To The Hard Sellers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, I posted this on my Facebook page.<br />
**************<br />
<span class="userContent">Dear Author Twitter Followers: I don't know if
this is the right relationship for us. I know you joined me as a
follower two seconds ago, and for that I feel honored. And while we
never actually met, I feel we do share a kinship since we are both
writers. <br /> <br /> I don't mind checking out your twitter feed. But when
you ask me to like your author FB page or go check out your website and
buy your book se<span class="text_exposed_show">conds after meeting
you, I feel as if this relationship is moving too fast. We haven't even
gone out to the movies or had a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant. We
haven't taken long romantic walks in the park. One minute you are saying
hello and the next minute you are trying to get me between the pages of
your book. Take a moment to slow down. I don't get all frisky with just
any book that comes my way. I need time to really consider where your
book plot is going and if I want to commit to it. I can't do that if you
are shoving your... ahem... words down my throat.<br /> <br /> Sincerely,<br /> a mere twitter account bombarded by aggressive book marketing tactics</span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">*************</span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">It's maddening. I understand authors are trying to sell their books. But, isn't there a better way to do it? On the most part, all the comments I received have been in agreement. I only read one comment where someone got upset because they feel that we need to support authors and their books more.</span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span></span>
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">You know what? I have no problem with that. I have no problem supporting the authors I KNOW. I have no problem visiting their websites, buying their books and spreading the word about them. I do have a problem when an author I don't know becomes a follower and two seconds later is trying to sell me their book. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">You haven't given me time to check out your twitter feed. You haven't given me time to check out your link to your website/blog. You haven't given me time to read your writing there, see if your genre is something I'm interested in, and allow me to decide for myself if I want to purchase your book. Merchants whose sole purpose is to push the hard sell and get people to buy their products give me more time to browse around their website before sending me a direct email to buy their wares. </span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span></span>
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">Authors, please. Give your new twitter followers time to learn more about you before sending that direct message to buy-Buy-BUY your book. Give them time to read your twitter feed. Give them time to follow the links you have posted. Give them time to decide whether they like the writing you post on your website. Otherwise, your direct messages feel like spam, and that is how I plan to treat them.</span></span>Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-14333869122946772642013-03-11T09:56:00.001-04:002013-03-11T09:56:08.358-04:0038The number 38 has figured prominently in mythology and in other aspects of the world. Below you will find a list of what this number has meant:<br />
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The number of slots on an American Roulette wheel (0, 00, and 1 through 36; European roulette does not use the 00 slot and has only 37 slots)<br />
<br />
The number of games that each team in the current English Premiership, the top division in English Association Football, plays in a season<br />
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Bill C-38 legalized same-sex marriage in Canada<br />
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The number of years it took the Israelites to travel from Kadesh Barnea to the Zered valley in Deuteronomy.<br />
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A "38" is often the name for a snub nose .38 caliber revolver<br />
<br />
Name of the southern rock band 38 Special
The 38 class is the most famous class of steam locomotive used in New South Wales<br />
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The number of the French department Isère<br />
<br />
The gate of the sci-fi TV series Stargate SG-1 can stay open a maximum of 38 minutes.<br />
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The number 38 was especially prominent in Norse mythology. The number was said to represent unnatural bravery, characteristic of the legendary heroes of Norse sagas. Most legendary sagas were divided into 38 chapters, and the number often recurred throughout stories, with the heroes combating giants or other beasts in groups of 38.<br />
<br />
The number was also significant in Egyptian mythology, as it was the characteristic number of Anubis, the jackal-headed god of death and mummification. Egyptian pharaohs were often buried with 38 statues of cat guardians, and their sarcophagi were adorned with 38 ankhs.<br />
<br />
All this useless trivia was provided by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/38_%28number%29">Wikipedia</a>, which strangely does not mention that the number 38 is what I turned on my birthday that is today. I might have to complain about this. Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169129998329537448.post-51453059776282133642013-03-04T10:31:00.000-05:002013-03-04T10:31:37.083-05:00Where Have I've Been LurkingIt's been awhile (okay, since December) since I last made a post here. Busy... busy... busy. Mostly I've been working and taking care of The Overlord. Another reason why I haven't been making posts here is because I've been more active on other social media sites and Blogger hasn't been playing nice. Every time I try to make a post, I get the pink error bar at the top that says "an error occurred while trying to save or publish your post. Please try again. Ignore warning."<br />
<br />
So I try to ignore the warning and make a post by clicking the Publish button a gazillion times. When it finally posts, I see, like, two billion drafts of the same posts in my dashboard. It's annoying (and partly my Internet service's fault). So I haven't been inclined to post more often.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know where I've been lurking lately. If you happen to be on these social media sites, look me up.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/MichelleHickman">Twitter</a> : I'm on twitter, but I'm not a twit-head. I probably haven't made a tweet there since forever, or at least longer from when I made a post here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/michhickman">Facebook</a>: You will definitely find me active on FB. I'm there every day, posting photos and the like. So if you want to see more images of The Overlord or find out my daily happenings, you can find me there. It's also another reason why I haven't done much here on blogger. My FB page is private. So I know the people who are seeing my stuff. Blogger is more open to the weirdos and sickos (not my regular readers- of course) out trolling the web who are dangerous. I don't want them to see The Overlord too much.<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/michelleandjaq/">Pinterest:</a> I just signed up here. I don't really understand the appeal yet. You post photos - you comment on photos. That's about it. So I don't know how long it will hold my interest.<br />
<br />
So there are the places I've been lately. I'm also on Google+, but I haven't really figured that place out to be active there. It also isn't very private, so I'm not willing to post a bunch of photos of me and The Overlord there either.Michelle H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10117937124348728578noreply@blogger.com6