Crayon Writer

We sing a variation of the alphabet song with my daughter. I can’t describe the tune, but it goes, “A A A A A A A A, A A A. B B B B B B B B, B B B. You get the rest. For each letter there’s a series of 8 fast repeats, then 3 long ones.

The other day, when we got to the W’s, my 3-year-old chimed in, “W W W Dot.”

I just had to share that hilarious story. I asked her where she got that from, expecting her to say television or mommy, but she said, “From the computer.” Go figure.

4 Comments »

As you may or may not know, I was going to be a lawyer in my past life. So anything law-related catches my eye, and we all know that the legal system needs plenty of good writers. If you’re a freelance writer, make sure to approach lawyers too.

Though I was primarily interested in being a prosecutor, I know that our justice system isn’t complete without good defense attorneys. After all, being accused of a crime doesn’t mean you’re guilty. And even if you are, the punishment should fit the crime. Defense attorneys are critical to help keep things fair.

If you are a resident of Los Angeles and you need a federal criminal lawyer, or a federal courthouse lawyer, check out the Los Angeles Federal Attorneys Lawyers site.

The site is full of information about how the federal system works in Los Angeles, California, including federal sentencing guidelines.

Even if you’re not in LA, you might learn something new about how the criminal justice system works. It’s fascinating, whether or not you agree with it (part of the reason I decided not to pursue criminal law).

8 Comments »

Recently I had a writing project for a new client, and for some reason I couldn’t churn it out as quickly as I should have. I finally realized my problem. I wanted it to be perfect, and in worrying about that, I was stuck doing nothing.

Does that sound familiar? Are you so critical of yourself and your writing that it holds you back sometimes?

A freelance writing friend of mine told me a similar story. She agonized and agonized over what to write for her client. She went back and forth with him to make sure she was on the right track. The client told her he wanted the piece to be exciting.

Finally she submitted the project, and much to her dismay, the client sent back a correction. He added an exclamation point to one or two lines! That’s it! That’s what he considered editing, and that’s what he considered exciting. There was nothing wrong with her writing, except that she sat on it too long, all because of perfectionism.

The moral? Write it. Just do it. Get past the fear that it won’t be perfect, because, in all likelihood, what you write is fine for your average client. They just want it done.

Are you a perfectionist when it comes to your writing? How do you overcome it (or do you)?

10 Comments »

One of the blogging trends I’d like to implement is treating my blog like a newspaper or magazine. Both have regular features, which helps keep the publication current, and helps the publisher think of what to write next.

I’ll be featuring websites or links that I find during my internet travels, and hopefully you’ll check them out and let us know what you think.

This week I found out about the Japanese American Citizens League. This non-profit civil rights organization is based out of Los Angeles, California, and began before World War II. I particularly like that the group honors a Woman of the Year, pays homage to its elders, and even offers a scholarships to at-risk youth.

The JACL is dedicated to promoting and preserving the values and culture of Japanese Americans, and they do so much for the community as a whole.

Even more impressive, the Downtown Los Angeles JACL fought for, and won, compensation for Japanese Americans that were wrongfully put in U.S. concentration camps during WWII. At the same time, tens of thousands of Japanese Americans volunteered their services as soldiers during the war. The JACL is hoping to get the U.S. Postal Service to honor these brave men with a commemorative stamp.

Take a look at the Downtown Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League site to learn more. The history of this group of Americans is rich, and as I always say, you can never learn too much. My thanks to George for telling me about this amazing organization.

Stay tuned for next week’s website or link of the week. Please let us know what you enjoyed about this one.

5 Comments »

If you’ve been around the blogging block, you’ve probably seen those lists of things blogger should never do. For instance:

1. Don’t fail to respond to your comments

2. Don’t fail to write regularly

3. Don’t stray off topic

4. Never apologize for, or explain, an absence.

Well I’m not one for following rules if they don’t fit my situation (unless they’re rules or laws handed down by the powers-that-be).

I do respond to many comments, but I don’t have time to answer every single one (thanks for being a talkative bunch!) But I definitely appreciate them all, and I look forward to them a lot. So keep commenting so I know you’re out there, and feel free to talk amongst yourselves sometimes. Conversations are a good thing.

Writing regularly is also something I aim for, but life gets in the way a lot. Luckily I have some faithful commenters who give me a kick in the rear if  I take too long between posts.

Staying on-topic is important, but it helps when you actually have just one topic. Crayon Writer is loosely about my journey as a freelance writer and single mother working from home, so there are a lot of topics I can safely cover (parenting, mothering, children, writing, working from home, blogging, and a whole lot more).

Finally, the one rule I think I haven’t “broken” is not apologizing for or explaining a long absence. Or at least I try to weave it into another blog post, like this one. I’ve been gone for a long time getting over my first (and hopefully last) bout of the stomach flu, and it really knocked me down for the count. Coupled with moving, I’ve gotten really behind with everything.

So, thanks for your patience, thanks for still reading, and enjoy my apologetic flurry of posts-to-come.

Do you follow all the blogging rules? Why or why not?

23 Comments »

Interested in some good reading about web hosting?

When looking for hosting for a new or even current blog, doing your homework also includes reading what others think. Not just what others think about your potential host, but also what people think of web hosting in general. There’s so much to learn, and I’m fan of research. That’s probably why I’m addicted to the Internet.

I just found a new blog with lots of web hosting articles.

From my understanding, the rest of the website isn’t launched yet, so don’t be turned off by the articles. There’s more to come, including tutorials and more specific web host information.

If you check out the site, let us know what you think about it.

10 Comments »

With today’s technology, it seems like things should be easier and easier, right?

Maybe.

I’m a pretty darn good speller, but I’m finding myself getting worse as time goes on. I blame it on spellcheck, lazy typing (who needs to type well when you have a backspace key), instant messaging (IMing), and text messaging.

Here are some ideas for fixing this growing problem:

1. Spend at least half an hour each week typing without using the backspace key. Force yourself to spell things right the first time. If you make a mistake, leave it.

2. Go back over your typing and circle all the mistakes you made. Write that (likely huge) number in red ink, and make it big, on your paper.

3. Now that you feel bad, promise yourself that that number will decrease each time you practice.

4. When you IM or text message, spell out the words as often as possible. I know it takes more time, but practice makes perfect.

I haven’t tried this method yet, but as I type this I’m finding myself backspacing a little less often than usual. Next time I’ll do better.

What about you? Have you forgotten how to spell or type too? Any tips for the rest of us?

17 Comments »

Someone I know just found out she/he would be without the Internet at home for about 10 days!

Here are some signs, exhibited by my “friend”, that may indicate an Internet addiction.

1. You cry like your dog died upon hearing the news that you won’t have access for 10 days.
2. You are willing to sit on the floor of your old apartment, where the internet isn’t yet shut off, just like a junkie squatting in an abandoned building.
3. You find yourself trying to guess your neighbor’s password so you can “borrow” their Internet.
4. You find yourself telling the Internet company that having a connection is a “life or death” situation, and you really mean it.
5. You are unable to imagine the 10 days will ever end, and you feel like the world has come to a virtual end.
6. You find yourself checking old email just to get a fix.

As for the identity of my “friend,” I have to plead the fifth. LOL!

Can you think of any other Internet addiction signs you’ve “witnessed?”

19 Comments »

Bloggers know that having a reliable hosting service is key to running a successful blog. Constant outages and limited domains are some of the worst issues you can run into.

I’ve been pretty satisfied with my current provider, but I’m always on the lookout for others. Shopping around just makes sense, and it might be a good idea to use more than one provider to protect against outages.

I found a new company called Concentric Business Solutions. They are a shared hosting provider that caters to small businesses (and if you’re a blogger with any monetization, you are a small business). Besides the usual suspects, including email, web hosting, and domain registration, they also offer free virus protection and spam filters.

If you’re in the market for a new provider, check out Concentric. They might be just what you need.

7 Comments »

Well, today was moving day.

It’s funny how easy it looks like it’ll be…until you start moving. It’s really a traumatic experience.

My daughter is a little unnerved too. I took her to the new apartment beforehand, she watched me pack (and helped a little), she saw the movers start taking boxes, she saw the old apartment with no furniture, and now she’s seen the new place with our stuff. But she’s a little sad, and wants to go see her grandparents for more familiarity (I suppose).

We’re in for a rough night I think.

To top it all off, I won’t have regular Internet access for several days, so I feel off kilter too.

Now it’s time to unpack it all. Ugh! I’m not looking forward to it.

Have you ever moved with small children? Was it hard on them?

9 Comments »