Grammar, Grammar, Grammar!

As a writer, it is extremely important to check your grammar. It is easy to overlook small mistakes that can easily sneak into the work you do. I fall victim to this problem more often than I would like to admit. It is easy as a writer to forget that you make mistakes. You may not make the same mistakes that other people might make, but you still make them, and it can be hard to face that. It is increasing harder to keep your grammar skills up to par, especially in this digital age of texting and "lolspeak." I know that I am weird when it comes to text messages, but I refuse to sacrifice good grammar simply to send a text off mere seconds faster.

And even then people make mistakes.

Yes, I know the difference between "your" and "you're;" I don't get tripped up when it comes when to use "they're," "their," or "there." I can use the Oxford comma, and I know when to use a semi-colon (or even a colon). Does that mean I'm perfect? No way. I still make some basic mistakes now and then, and some less basic mistakes when I get a bit fancy. I know that tense changes slip into my writing too often, and I sometimes slip a progressive verb in places that really don't work. Even now and then I slip and make the same mistakes that I just implied I don't make! No writer is prefect, no matter what you may think.

As I write this, I am reminded that I have submitted work that honestly needed massive revision. Too often I have waited until the last minute to get to work. Heck, I recent writing sample I put together took nearly six hours to complete with about seven total drafts passed between me and a friend of mine who works as an editor. Now, don't get me wrong, a large part of those revisions was formatting my work into APA style standards (I confess I am much more adjusted to MLA style standards and Chicago style fills me with dread).

So what is a hip young writer to do? Well, you are in luck, that is exactly what this post is all about! Here are some simple, but effective techniques you can start using today to drastically improve your writing and minimize those annoying grammatical errors and mistakes.

1. Slow Down!

If you're not careful,
you could make mistakes like this one!

That's right! Slow down. Write slower. Okay, I get it, you have so much to say that you have to just write it down before it escapes forever. Okay, but are you willing you write that so fast that you make mistakes and then you have to spend possibly three or four times more time going back and translating your "genius" into something other people can understand? Sometimes, yes, this is necessary (we'll get to that in a bit), but other times you are deluding yourself and you really need to get a reality check. You don't have to get it all out before you forget it all, because if it was really that good, you should be able to write it out without losing it like a small breeze.

Slowing down will also help you keep an eye out for typos or changing tenses. Some mistakes can easily be avoided if you take your time to carefully craft your work. Some people use the term wordsmith to describe what we do. I think that is an apt word. Similar to a blacksmith, a great piece takes time. It is carefully crafted over time, not within seconds. You might have loaded this blog post in seconds, but I promise it took much longer to write.

2. Double, Triple, and Quadruple Check Your Work!

Tideous, but effective!

Yes, I know, some of you are upset. I have now told you in two tips in a row to slow down. Why is that? because it is important. Take breaks, get your eyes away from your writing. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes on a draft to spot mistakes that you may have missed before. That's why others can spot things you missed! They haven't had their eyes glued to the work for hours at a time.

Additionally, there are times that sudden inspiration hits and, honestly, you just can't be slowed down by hunting for errors. That's okay, let the inspiration ride, but remember that it will need a bit of work to make it as polished as possible. This isn't a bad thing.

3. Have a Style Manual Ready

Personally, this is my favorite.

Yes, I know. You feel like you know so very much when it comes to grammar and stylistic choices that you don't need the rules close at hand. You are also wrong and reading this article, so I think I've made my point.  Yes, it is slower to thumb through a handbook. Yes, the tips might be very basic. Honestly, though, I don't see how one of these bad boys isn't a normal part of a lot of writers' arsenal. Heck, while we're at it, you should have a dictionary and a thesaurus within arm's reach as well.

Everyone needs help. This is an inescapable rule of life. It has been said that no man is an island unto himself. This is true. No one stands alone. Mistakes are simply a part of life. Having a plan to minimize those mistakes only makes sense. Which leads us to tip number four!

4. If Possible, Have Someone Else Edit Your Work

Red marks can save you
embarrassment later.

You miss things. It's okay; this is a judge free zone. You are not perfect, nor are you expected to be. You will miss things in your own writing. You know what you meant, and it is very likely you keep that firmly in mind when you read your work to edit it. Other people will see mistake you may easily miss. Sometime you correct the mistakes in your head as you read them. This is natural and many people have been tripped up by this.

While we're on this topic, it is important you carefully consider what has been said to you. Don't get offended at what someone suggests. You know your first (and maybe eighth) draft isn't spotless, so why are you so up in arms when the person you had edit your work points out that this or that isn't clear, or you changed tense, or whatever you did? That is what they're there for! Maybe they have a suggestion of how you could word something clearer, take that advice! Sometimes you will flat out disagree with proposed edits. That's okay too! You don't have to do everything someone else suggest, but you do have to to be gracious, or you could lose a valuable asset!

Additionally, you could make them mad.

Ultimately the best advice I can give is to keep at it. Yes, it will take time. Yes, you might fail more times than you succeed. If you are really serious, then treat those times as learning experiences, get up on the horse, and ride again my friend!

Content Ahoy!

About a month ago I was in the process of applying for a content writer position that I really wanted. I sent in my resume, a strong cover letter tailored to the position and company, plus the four writing samples they had asked for. It was a position that didn't require experience and I thought that was my in. I was thrilled when they asked for an additional writing sample. In fact, I was on Cloud 9! They were taking me seriously! That's when things fell apart.

I sent in the writing sample. I was told I would be contacted. I kept sending weekly reminders. Silence was my only reply. I didn't know what to do. In fact, I nearly gave up on the job completely.

That's when it happened. This same company reposted the content writer job. The exact same job that fell through for me appeared again. I was unsure at first. Should I take that leap again into the arms of a company that had just recently left me hanging? The answer was yes.

The contact person had changed for this opening. I had thought that maybe the original contact person had become too busy to actively recruit for this job.When I carefully read the description again, I saw that the contact person was not the same person as before. So, throwing caution to the wind, I applied again!

This time they were only asking for two writing samples, so I sent what I believed to be my strongest sample, plus the one I created for them before. I decided to be a bit more aggressive this time. I sent a follow-up e-mail stating that I had already been through a portion of this process already, who my contact was, and what had happened. I seriously want this job, so I am serious about how I apply and pursue this job.

It seemed to pay off, I got a reply. This reply, however, was unexpected due to the content. I was again asked for a writing sample, with the exact same details as before. I could have taken the easy route and simply replied that I had already done this, and whatever, but I didn't. I wrote a new sample from scratch. I took the time, made sure the new sample is was as polished as possible.

This is when I took yet another calculated risk. When I submitted the new writing sample, I let my new contact know I had already submitted one for the other contact, but this one was brand new. I'm actually rather proud of this one, I think it is a lot better than the original.

Pictured: #Winning

Then I went for the kicker. I went there, in person, with three new writing samples I wrote just for them. I was confident. I was pumped! I was rejected. 

And repeat...

That's right. I went through all that time, effort, and energy to simply be shot down quicker than frat boys by a bar waitress. They kindly took my new samples* and sent me on my merry way. I walked away feeling a bit down.

So what's an unemployed, creative writer-type to do? I kept my head high and moved on. So this one company doesn't hire me. Someone will or freelancing with go on to be something more than it is now. Heck, my networking is already paying off and I should have new contacts with a major company within the week, so, sweetness!

Also, looking a pictures of
puppies helps. Here's one!

All in all, I say it was a good experience. Sure, I am still unemployed, but oh well, I don't have to stay that way forever and I learned from this. I gained confidence from this. I learned that tenacity pays off, even if it doesn't land you the job. I got a company to take me seriously. If anything, I took a major step forward. And so can you.

On a happier note, I've been pairing up with City Union Mission a bit recently. Most of what I do is some minor editing, but I also wrote a little something for them.

*I had physical copies which had, and I quote, "great formatting." 

Some Leaps Just Have To Be Made

Well, I did it. I pilled the trigger. I am actively looking at freelance writing and editing work. I have sent out some feelers, I have created a profile on ELance, I have used some of the resources on Freelance Writing Jobs. I am making this official. It is a big step, but I am going to plunge ahead. I already did some volunteer editing for City Union Mission, editing some posts on their "Letters From Camp" blog. Specifically, these posts three saw revisions from me. I'm not saying that I've already found a whole lot of anything. In fact, I am writing this post after sending off a batch of inquiries into possible freelance work.

I am taking my own advice from my last post; I'm working on building my portfolio, and I am going to continue working with City Union Mission. That, I hope, will be a valuable resource for me. I will be looking at other possible avenues to help promote me as a writer. I've also consulted a friend of mine in the Public Relations field. She suggested engaging other bloggers and having insightful and thought things to say, not just the typical "nice post!" If my time on LinkedIn has taught me anything, it that networking is always a plus.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up on finding full-time work completely, but I also realize that having been thinking teaching and not writing when I was going to college, I am at a definite disadvantage when it comes to looking for work in my field. Additionally, I have lost most of my schoolwork to various moves and accidents, and all the quality stuff is just plain gone.

This has nothing to do with this post,
I just wanted to add a caption!

Starting from scratch is not fun, especially in the professional world. I have yet to start a professional "freelance" blog, and I realize that my past of whining about not posting and my otherwise silly posts on this blog will turn a few noses. Unfortunately, as I am trying to get a lot of things off the ground and blocking time especially for freelance work, a new blog is not in the cards, and I really shouldn't spend that time creating a new blog, especially not with the plans I have for when that blog gets off and running. Perhaps when I have the time, I will create a freelance/portfolio blog. Honestly, I've been slowing using this blog to test out some things to be better prepared once I can get that other blog off the ground. In a way, this blog is becoming a public experiment in making a professional looking blog.

Pictured: The Internet
(Yes, this is a The IT Crowd reference.)

One of the feature you might notice is the use of pictures in this blog. I didn't always use pictures and I have been slowly experimenting with that feature. The addition of captions is something I will be trying in this and future posts. The features are simple, but I have never played with them. I hope to get a camera of my own soon that I might be able to generate my own images instead of leeching free/generic stuff found all over the Internet. Also, I will be able to make my own graphics like a boss.

Seven Writing Portfolio Building Ideas

I doubt that I'm working on anything new or groundbreaking here, but I thought I would take some time and detail some of what I have been learning about portfolio building. Notably, I'm not an expect, nor do I expect you to listen to me. I will say this, however, you ignore my advice at your own risk.

Yes, I'm a newbie at all of this, but that is why I have insight. I don't have a portfolio that has been netting me jobs for some time and is established. I'm building from scratch, just like some of you might be. This is not a how-to; this is a list of ideas that I have gathered about doing exactly what many of us struggle with, building a decent writing portfolio.

1. Keep Writing

When looking for work, especially when unemployed, the temptation becomes to not write anything new. Excuses range from "lack of time" to just simply being unsure what employers (or clients if your are going the freelance route) might be looking for.

Don't be afraid to keep writing and polishing what you write! You could try branching into new places with your writing, and try out new styles. Experiment, have fun. Why should anyone hire you if you're not comfortable with your craft? Why should anyone hire you if you don't write?

2. Blog It

Blogs provide a great way to create an online portfolio. You could even create a section tailored just to that feature! This could be risky if you have some random blog that you have posted things that employers might frown upon. Yes, sorry, Awesome Corp X couldn't care less what Mr. Fluff-n-Stuff did. No, Great Job, Inc. doesn't want to know how great you think spray cheese is.

To counter this, I highly recommend you have a professional blog with a semi-professional look to it. Many blog sites have features that can assist you in this, and a quick Google search can provide some tools to help make your blog shine!

3. Volunteer

Organizations are always looking for people to write for them. Yes, it pays nothing, but some of these organizations are willing to allow you to have a small bio attached to your work. If nothing else, it could be something to add to your portfolio, and could pay off in the long run.

I get it, AnimalsArePeopleToo.org may be a bit off their rocker, heck, they may even remind you of your creepy uncle, but you aren't exactly the Stephen King of whatever field you're in, so suck it up!

4. Submit, Submit, Submit!

I hope you're prepared for rejection, because you're going to get more than a 1980's band geek with braces.* 

Yes, you may need to look for lower paying jobs. Yes, you may need to work for squat and never get called again like some awkward one night stand, but you won't regret it once the real jobs come and you can drown your sorrow and shame in the cash you will then be rolling in.**

This advice goes double for those of you thinking about freelancing as a career move. Seriously, take a moment to Google freelance writing and rejection, I'll wait. Heck, AboutFreelanceWriting.com fully expects you to get rejected. To quote this article from Freelance Writing Jobs:

If you receive rejection, don’t despair. Consider yourself part of a special club. Every single writer receives rejection at one time or another. Let it roll off your back and get back to work.

5. Have Fun

You've heard the saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."*** If this is really where you want your career to go, have some fun with it. Writing shouldn't be a chore to you, but a joy! I've taken time out of my job search to just write this article because I love it! Writing is my passion, so I'll put off a couple of leads to get some time in with words.

6. Expand Your Horizons

Writers who are not able to adapt will die in this market. There are thousands of competitors out there. If you can only right one thing really well, you better hope there is a lot of jobs in that one thing, otherwise, good luck to you.

Learning to have different styles can be difficult, but the boarder your range, the more work you can do, and it will show possible employers or clients that you can fit any need they might have, even if the project suddenly needs to be in a different style. I don't honestly know how often that would happen, but look at it this way, who would you hire? The guy who can only help you in one situation, or the guy who can help you in five?

7. Proofread

I have some bad news! Nothing kills an otherwise great writing sample than mistakes. Grammar errors like wrong tenses, misplaced commas, and other mistakes. Don't confuse "they're" with "their," or "your" with "you're." Check to make sure you didn't mistype a word or use the wrong form of a work. Clean up confusing sentences and make corrections to the more confusing parts of what you write.

No writer is perfect, and the "edit as you go" method will still miss things. Maybe you need to add something, or maybe a section needs cut! Don't be afraid to get a second pair of eyes on a draft. Maybe you just need to take a break and go back over your work with a fresh look. Grammar and style manuals can be helpful if they are quality and mostly up-to-date. We all need our work edited, so don't feel bad.

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In the end, these are just suggestions. Sure, I'm new to this, but I've done my homework. I can't recall all that I've read, but these are the steps I'm taking with this. Sure, time will tell if this pays off, but, oh hey, what do you know? I just expanded my portfolio options by one.

Lying to You Completely, While Telling the Whole Truth

What you are about to read is a work of fiction. That is, however, excepting the places where it is not fiction. At those places, it is rather not at all a work of fiction and calling it such would be quite odd indeed. Yet, I will allow you, my dear reader, to determine for yourself where I have opted to let the truth appear.


In the beginning...
God created Man and Woman alike. But I'm sure that's not the right beginning. That's more like the beginning of the beginning, which is far too much of a beginning for this tale, so maybe we should fast forward a bit...

In the beginning, of my reading career that is, I started reading books "too advanced" for my age. (I told you, some of it's fiction, some of it's not, you decide.) I was enthralled how the words on the page played together to make a story. I found myself glued to books, craving more and more of these tomes. Soon, I was reading ahead in all my classes, nothing could sate my appetite for books. I was a reading machine. I won more of those little Personal Pan Pizzas from Pizza Hut than anyone in my whole school because I read constantly. Yet my teachers had yet to really rock my world.

We had been learning to write sentences, simple and "complex." My class felt so proud was we mastered all the sentences our teacher could throw at us. Then we got the curve ball. No, there was no baseball in class, and even if she wanted to, our teacher didn't throw anything at us, but told us to write our own stories. A collective groan was heard throughout the class. Everyone thought it would be too hard to write our own stories, for we had been copying sentences to that point. Well, all this is true, except one child whose eyes got so big, they looked like they were going to pop right out of his little skull. He uttered some words that I'm 100% sure the teacher had never heard before, at least in this order, "You can do that!?"

What was to follow came Nathan, the Story Weaver Extraordinaire. People came from all around to hear me tell tales of mystery, dragons, heroes, and puppies. Not normally in that order, and not always did these stories come with the aforementioned things. It was shocking, it was wonderful. It was all trash.

Rubbish, every little bit of tale weaving I did was laughable at best. It was well in my interest to just quit while I was behind and never look back. And that's exactly what I did. (If you believe that, you haven't been paying attention.)
I became a liar with a knack for getting out of trouble. Few were the people who could catch me in a lie, mainly because I lied constantly. It was like second nature to me. Tell a lie, have people think highly of you, and you have it made. In a sense, I was still weaving my stories that I had loved to tell, just with a lot less effort and an even smaller amount of imagination. I was a out-and-out liar who only used his storytelling powers for evil and self gain. I wasn't aware that with great power comes awesome opportunities to totally express yourself dude! (I apologize for that reference train wreck that 99% of the people who read this won't get.)
I was once asked during a time in my life where I was going nowhere fast, "What are you passionate about?" And, because I apparently like to hit the mute button on life's bigger lessons, I've been asked several more times that exact same question. The question isn't how do I let myself get caught up in the passion of the moment, nor is it what passions others feel I should have. I'm about to lay it thick like peanut butter here, "What are you passionate about?" What makes feel like you were meant to do it? What is it that you do that if you don't do it, it feels like someone took a bite out of you like Scruff McGruff used to take a bite out of crime. (Seriously, does that crazy cartoon police detective dog even still exist? Or did I just totally date myself with that reference? I think it's time for a gritty reboot.)

I was, at some point, I forget which, reminded of that passion for writing/story-telling/being all "expressive." I get encouraged to write and I often try, but then I get discouraged again and I'm pretty sure most of the people who I talk to about my writing want to smack me upside the head and tell me in a gentle, but a smack upside the head way, just write!

Of course then I whine that it's no so easy, maybe even complain how I haven't made a living as a writer yet (if I can even actually get the guts to try to freelance). It's rarely an issue of lack of inspiration. I get inspired by nearly fifty things daily. You want to know the truth? Okay, lean in close and I'll tell you. Closer... A little closer... Wow, do you look silly with your face so close to the screen. That's bad for the eyes you know. See, free medical advice, right there. You can thank me by donation or cookies. I really like cookies.

Oh, right, as I was saying, I get lazy. I get discouraged. I get "lacouraged." (One day I will invent a word and be all relevant and hip for like a full five seconds, after which I will be repeatedly accused of copying the word from someone else.) To be honest, I am a bit scared. Writing is this whole big world and I may never break into it. Or one day I'll be a smash hit and break the writing world's face or something. I'm sure it will all be very painful with all the smashing and breaking going on.

What I am saying is that I need to be a bit better at actually doing the things I know I want to do with my life. I have no idea if I have the slightly bit of talent at all. For all I know, I'm a hack writer with a goatee and a love of cheese. (I do love cheese...) I could do better at a lot of things and it's easy to just look at my faults any get discouraged. But, honestly, I don't think that is what God wants for us. I don't have some super classy Bible verse to back me up on this, but I think God wants us to realize, "Hey, I'm not perfect, and I have tons of room to grow, but God is in control and He made me, so He completely understands where I'm coming from and put these passions into me for a reason." What I'm saying is, what are you passionate about? Have you let the world twist it into an ugly reflection of what God has for you like I did when I would tell so many lies? Or are you taking your God given passions and talents and turning them into something greater?

I am writing more, and I've started really, for the first time in my life, to experiment with my writing style and methods. For the longest time I was on auto-pilot, just letting my writing do it's own thing. I acted like it was a force in itself. Guess what, dear reader, it isn't a force in itself, but a part of who I am. Just like that think this post has reminded you of is a part of you.

I honestly don't know how this post came to this. I found part of this that i had started on before and I realized, I still had a lot to write on it. See, there I am, writing. I'll be writing until the day I die, and maybe, just maybe, God will bless me with something more than a few blogs and some notebooks with my writings peppered within. I don't know, but I never will if I never try. God will never lead me astray, but I can go astray full well on my own.

Heavy, huh? You started this and thought it would be all kicks and giggles and a good time. So did I, but then I had to be honest. Well, on a lighter note, I'll still tell stories about mysteries, dragons, heroes, and puppies, even if not in that order. Because I have a creative God with a sense of humor. I know this is true because He created me and you, and everything in between and beyond, and because at age 22 I'm still tripping over things that aren't there.

Writing At Things Differently

Recently, I committed myself to writing daily. Something, anything, even if it was complete garbage and would never see the light of day. I have quickly learned how hard that is to do. I never really had the habit to write daily, even though I had always wanted to do so. Writing is as much a part of me as is my own arm, or my brain. When I don't at least commit my thoughts to paper (or blog as the case may be), I feel as if part of me is missing, even blank. I spend a great deal of time thinking up things to write, so it should follow that I spend a great deal of time writing. This has not been the case.

I guess part of me felt like I couldn't be a writer, or at the very least, I was a talentless hack sprawling useless little letters, forming sentences of nothing. I looked to others to tell me if I had it in me to be a writer. I was running. Sure, I may never be a professional writer and these blogs of mine may be the only things I ever publish, but it is high time I stop hiding. So what if so and so believes I have no talent? I didn't just imagine that I have this desire to write. It is real, it is alive. I am alive!

It's not like I haven't heard people say I have talent. I guess I just wanted to believe they were just being nice, but I realized something last night. I have honest friends who would tell me if what I wrote was mostly junk. On top of that, I have a desire and love of writing. So, in that sense, I am already a writer. I still have a lot of work to do, as I am experimenting with my writing style and playing a bit with what I can do, not to mention I'm still struggling to write daily. I'm sure it will become easier as I go. I do know that I need to work on my process, for it is not great and I do not spend the serious time thinking on what I write that I would like. I should spend more time writing and editing my work, until the day it become something I can feel not only good about, but that I worked hard on.

I am reminded of a story, or parable rather, that Jesus told in the Bible. Those of you who know it will call it the Parable of the Talents. For those of you who don't know, Jesus told this story of three servants that were given set amounts of money (talents) to take care of while their master was away. Two of the servants put the money to work and returned more than they were given. The last simply buried his charge, and returned exactly what he was given. The two that returned more were put in charge of greater things, but the one who buried the money was not. God has given me a talent of sorts, I should be putting it to work, increasing it, not burying it. I think now I will.

Oh, Forget It, I Can't Think Of A Title Any Way...

So, some news for my faithful few! (Maybe I should avoid saying things like how few people read this and blah, blah, blah...) I finally have my first real interview since I lost my last job. It went fairly well, but it seems I am the first of four candidates for this job and the manager that interviewed me seems to think that he won't make a decision until about Tuesday. Then, if he likes me enough over the other people, then he'll give me a call. If that happens, then I get to interview once again with the general manager, who is ultimately responsible for hiring. All this to be a cook at Applebee's. No offense to the other guys (or possibly gals), but I hope they don't get the job and I do. I need to work 'cause work makes me feel good inside (and makes my bank account feel even better inside).

Speaking of work, I have been reading this blog lately, called Android Central. Recently, they posted an article detailing how they are looking for some new writers to handle news volume. Now, I know, some people are thinking, "Oh, Nathan, that would be right up your alley, you want to be a writer after all." I thought the same thing! However, there is one slight problem, they require that you own an Android smart phone, which I currently do not. (Yes, that is a link to a Wikipedia article, because it gives some good insight for those who don't know that Android is a cell phone operating system and not the Droid series of phones from Verizon.) I do want to own a Nexus One when I have money and my upgrade comes in from T-Mobile, but that is not now.

In other news, life has been interesting. I did/ am doing some work at my church, painting this shed we have. It's great to be doing something with my hands again. Another thing I did with my hands is rip apart a computer I used to own and take some components from it. You see, I found out that my CD drive burned out, or something, on the computer I am currently using at home. I hate that computer so much, but I had some CD's I really wanted to load to my iPod. However, they first needed to be on my iTunes, so I was simply going to take one of the two CD-ROM drives that were going to waste in old system, yet it proved to be more of a task than I thought. So I gutted the thing and now need to find it the parts I took are even worth all that effort. I also recently fixed my PS3, with my own two hands, because I do stuff like that. Yet Best Buy still hasn't called me. Their loss I guess.

Three in One Day!? MADNESS! (Or Freetime?)

So, this is a shout out to all none of you that are still reading my blogs. This would be my third post this day. (First on Following Christ, then on Starlight Ponderings, and now here.) (Did I really need the link to the blog you are currently reading? Maybe that's not the question, but rather, why you are questioning the question of questions. Yeah... Make sense out of that one.)

Any way, down to the posting. many of you people who don't read my blog are asking, why the no posts? Well, because you don't read my blogs, you didn't see I covered that already and so there. Really, the reason I am posting this is to tell absolutely no one (if there is like one real person who reads this, I apologize, I just know that I get some of the dumbest ads in the comments) about Stuff Christians Like. I picked up the book a few weeks ago and had a great laugh. Then I went onto the blog that started it all, and laughed some more.

I think what I like the most about Stuff Christians Like is that it flies in the face of the myth that Christians can't be funny. In fact, there's a post and an entry in the book about that very thing! How awesome is that? I'll tell you, it's about as awesome as a hot cup of coffee with the perfect mix of cream and sugar with a bagel on the side and some Jack Johnson playing in the background. (That's right, I linked you to the man's website so you can see how wonderful his tunes are. Take your time, I'll wait.)

In short, what I am saying, is to read some of the entries on SCL and laugh a bit, because we know this post ain't doing it for you. (But pity laughs are welcome, just so long as they don't sound like pity laughs. I can't stand it when someone laughs and it sounds like they're forcing it, you know? They say beggers can't be choosers, but forget that mess. If you're gonna pity laugh, laugh like you mean it. Sure, it may take you a while, and you may have to take laughing lessons, but it will be worth it. Then, you can pity laugh without hurting that unfunny friend's feelings, or laugh at your boss' jokes and not get fired. You'll thank me then.)

Any way, to quote many a blogger of yore, I will be posting more. I really will. Why? Because writing is in my blood, and just between you and me and any one with an Internet connection that happens on this blog post, I'm going into the writing biz and blogs are awesome for that. Plus, I can post what I want.

Starlight Rebootings

So, I've been getting some free time in my schedule, and I've been gearing up to do some projects. I have a few stories I've kept on the back burner for awhile, and I feel it should soon be time to write them. Yes, I said soon.

I've been working on some heavy stuff for my classes, and am thus unable to do much creative work at this time. However, I hope to start soon, because I have been informed of a nifty website called Fan Story. Basically you can review other people's works and summit your own works into contests to win money. However, to be able to summit anything, you must first be a paying member. It's a small fee, but I do not have the writing time to justify that.

However. Starlight Ponderings has gotten a face-lift. I was tried of the old look, and wanted to update it somehow. So, I did some Googling and found eBlogTemplates.com. They offer dozens of free templates, and I found Aspire to be to my likings. I think it really gives that feeling I wanted with Starlight Ponderings, after I edited the template slightly.

So, I am writing to say I will soon be writing, and that if I can find more worthwhile templates, my blogs might all be receiving updates. I will tell you there will be some planned changes happening soon. Until then, God Bless.

Starlight Ponderings

I've been thinking a lot lately, which is a habit some would say I should quit. I would disagree, but that is neither here, nor there. What is at hand this what's been on my mind. Namely, my future and where I should be in the next several years. Truth be told, I am not completely sure. I have been pondering my life and asking questions that I didn't think I would ask. Namely, "Where am I going?"

I know I've been called to teach. However, teaching is a complicated thing. Ever since I set out of my goal to obtain a teaching degree, the same question kept rearing its head, "Why not teach at the collegiate level?" Is it because I am too lazy? Is it because I do not desire this? Is it because God isn't calling me there? Truth be told, I cannot answer this. Why shouldn't I get my doctorate? Yes, yes, this is several years down the line, but why should I stop at a master's degree in English? Teaching, yes, is in my future. However, education is a complex thing. There are many levels at which one could teach, and many ways to teach.

I've thought about it for years and one of my truest and deepest desires is to write professionally. Now I am aware that my craft requires some refining, yet the want is deeply embedded within myself. Furthermore, my writing is something many have encouraged. I've always been astute when it came to matters of the written word. I was and am still leaps and bounds ahead of many of my peers in both reading and writing (of course this is only by the Grace of, I am aware). Why is it that I cannot teach by writing? Is that not what C.S. Lewis set out to do with his essays?

The point I am making here is why should I stop with high school? Honestly, it wasn't like high school was my only choice. I personally chose to stop at the high school level. There is nothing to stop me from getting my doctorate unless this is outside God's Will for my life. Of course, if it is outside His Will, I do not want to be there, but lately I've grown restless.

This, alas, is not the only thing on my mind. The other night, while conversing with a now trice mentioned friend, the question was posed, "Where would you want to live?" I've thought about this for years. I want it clear before I say anything more, that I do love America. It is a fine country in its own right. However, I grow weary of living on its soil. I've always had this dream of living in Europe. Either on the British isle, or near it. I always love watching movies filmed in that part of the world because I love seeing it. When I meet people with British, Irish, and even Scottish accents, part of me wishes I had the same said accent. I can do a mean impression of each.

This, unfortunately, is a far off dream. If I ever get my doctorate in English, it would be a possibility to teach out there. If I ever become a writer, I could move out there. Yet, these are if. Be it God's Will or let it never be. That is all I have to say of the matter.

Now, some (all one of you who read this blog) might be wondering why I changed the layout of the blog. It is simple, I used the old layout for my newest blog, Starlight Ponderings. I decided that since I had a more serious blog for posting Biblical and Christian essays, and this one is becoming a rant blog, I might as well have one for my more literary aspirations. So this new blog will have samples of my poetry and my short stories. It seemed only fitting to me.

Blogging in the Wee Hours (I Really Need to Stop)

It's past 2:00 am and I am still awake. It's not because I'm unable to sleep, nor is it that I don't want to sleep. I, for some reason I cannot fathom, decided to stay up and play with my Firefox Web Browser a bit. I really enjoy customizing my Firefox, and that's what I'm doing up. Now, someone may read this and say, no you're not, you're up posting to your blog. Well, actually, both are true. I'm trying out this Scribe Fire add-on that I've seen while perusing the various additions Firefox has to offer.

Now, many people will ask, why are you now using a blog editor in Firefox? Well, for one, I look at web sites while I blog, usually because they have relevance to my post. Scribe Fire lets me look at a site and post to my blog without tabbing over. Also, I love customization, and Firefox lets me do that. Also, I am trying to pursue authorship. I want to be a writer. I know that God has called me to education, and I know that He has given me some ability to write, so I hope that He will allow me to write as an author. I feel this is a step in that direction.