Judging Strangers

Training the Mind to be Receptive

Fred White (Photo credit: ChrisM70)

This was taken from Writer’s Digest Oct 30 2012

To write, you need ideas. But you also need ideas for how to develop those ideas. While it’s true that ideas are everywhere, writers benefit from strategies of idea recognition and idea development. This tutorial will introduce you to several idea-generating and idea-developing strategies that will help you become a productive and prolific writer.

This tutorial is taught by Fred White, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Santa Clara University. Fred has taught courses in writing and literature for nearly forty years. In 1996, he won the Louis and Dorina Brutocao Award for Teaching Excellence. The author of several books on writing and literary criticism, Fred’s most recent book is Where Do You Get Your Ideas? A Writer’s Guide to Transforming Notions into Narratives.

This 29-minute tutorial video focuses on ‘idea-getting’ and ‘idea-developing’ strategies:

• How to generate story ideas by becoming a keen observer of people
• Finding story ideas in the natural world
• Forming the idea-getting habit
• The importance of being both an idea fisher and an idea factory
• Becoming a “master chef” of story ideas

 

This tutorial will inspire your ideas to flow freely!

{The strategies presented in this tutorial are not covered in Fred White’s book Where Do You Get Your Ideas? A Writer’s Guide to Transforming Notions into Narratives—this tutorial covers additional strategies. We highly recommend combining this tutorial with the book to pull back the curtain on the magic of remarkable idea generation.}

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy (2012): 60 km Wind Area Forecast (Photo credit: Canadian Pacific)

My thoughts and prayers are with all those in the path of this destructive storm. It’s frightening to think that over 60 million people will be affected. Once the devastation of the storm is over, there will be so much for people to repair. Let us hope there is no loss of life.

Bald Eagles

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Bald Eagles

In January of this year 2012, the weather stayed so cold in St. Louis, Missouri and Alton, Illinois that the bald eagles were cruising over houses in hopes of a quick meal. They could not access fish that were at the bottom of the river and had gathered together.

 Some kind souls decided to feed the eagles so they would survive the cold spell. They gathered fish and started feeding the group of eagles huddled on the shore.As you know, it was not too long ago that the American Bald Eagle was an endangered species.

 

Divorce Letter

Dear Wife:
I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you forever. I’ve been a good man to you for 7 years and I have nothing to show for it. These last 2 weeks have been hell. Your boss called to tell me that you quit your job today and that was the last straw. Last week, you came home and didn’t even notice I had a new haircut, had cooked your favorite meal and even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers. You ate in 2 minutes, and went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want sex or anything that connects us as husband and wife. Either you are cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, I’m gone.
Your EX-husband
P.S.: Don’t try to find me. Your SISTER and I are moving away to West Virginia together! Have a great life!
—-
Dear Ex-Husband,
Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. It’s true you and I have been married for 7 years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been. I watch my soaps so much because they drown out your constant whining and griping. Too bad that doesn’t work. I DID notice when you got a hair cutlast week, but the 1st thing that came to mind was `You look just like a girl!’ Since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment. And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork

7 years ago. About those silk boxes: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, and I prayed it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed $50 from me that morning.
After all of this, I still loved you and felt we could work it out. So when I hit the lotto for $10 million, I quit my job and bought us 2 tickets to Jamaica but when I got home you were gone. Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted. My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me. So take care.
Signed, your Ex-Wife, Rich As Hell and Free!
P.S.: I don’t know if I ever told you this, but my sister Carla was born Carl. I hope that’s not a problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fishing Solution

English: Speedcuffs Handcuffs Handcuffed Handcuff Front Stack (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Four guys have been going on the same fishing trip for many years. This

year, Ron’s wife puts her foot down and tells him he isn’t going.

Bitterly disappointed he phones and tells the others that he can’t go.

 

Two days later, the other guys get to the camping site only to find Ron

sitting there with a tent already set up. “Bloody hell Ron, how did you

talk your missus into letting you go?”

 

“Well, yesterday evening, after my wife finished reading “Fifty Shades

Of Grey,” she dragged me into our bedroom, and on the bed she had handcuffs

and ropes! She told me to tie and handcuff her to the bed, so I did.

Then she said, “Do whatever you want.”

So, Here I am!!!

Harley Davidson

Harley-Davidson WL (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the engine of a Harley Davidson motorcycle when he spotted a well-known heart surgeon in his shop.

The mechanic shouted across the garage, “Hey, Doc, can I ask you a question?”

The surgeon a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic working on the motorcycle.

The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked,

“So Doc, look at this engine. I open its heart, take the valves out, fix ‘em, put ‘em back in, and when I finish, it works just like new. So how come I get such a small salary and you get the really big bucks, when you and I are doing basically the same work?”

The surgeon paused, smiled and leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic…

“Try doing it with the engine

Riverdance As You’ve Never Seen It Before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cITuyXWvXM

This is cute, but I still have problems with making animals do tricks.

I know this probably won’t be a popular opinion but I think we debase animals by making them do tricks. They are all such majestic creatures, whatever the breed. I hate seeing animals in captivity. Don’t get me wrong I think zoos do an awesome job of protecting and breeding endangered species. However, places like Seaworld and others make me cringe. I know they help sick animals and will rescue them, but when they are healthy they should be released.  Obviously some of them can’t be released, and Seaworld and similar places do need money to continue on with research and rescues etc.  I can see where keeping the ones that can’t be released is practical . My argument is, that if they are well enough they should be let go .  I don’t think they should be allowed to breed them and keep them in captivity.  I try and put myself in their place and think if we weren’t the dominant species and we were treated like this, would we like it?

I will be interested to hear your thoughts on this.

Sea World Believe (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Advice For A Scottish Wife

I Need a Doctor (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A  woman goes to the Doctor in Glasgow, worried about her husband’s temper and threatening manner.
The Doc asks: “What’s the problem, Janet?
The woman says: “Weeell Doctor Cameron, I dinnae know what to do. Every time ma auld man comes home drunk, he threatens to slap me aroon’.”
The Doctor says: “Aye, well… I have a real good cure for that. When your husband arrives home intoxicated, just take a wee glass of water and start swishing it in your mouth. Just swish and swish but don’t swallow it until he goes to bed and is sound asleep.”
Two weeks later she comes back to the doctor looking fresh and reborn. She says: “Doctor that was  brilliant! Evrae time ma auld man came home drunk, I swished with water. I swished an’ swished, and he didnae touch me even once!
Tell me Doc….wha’s the secret? How’s the water do that?”
The Doctor says: “Janet hen, it’s really nae big secret. The water does  bugger all…it’s keeping your mouth shut that does the trick….”

8 Writing Tips

 Taken from Writer’s Digest by Elizabeth Sims 23/10/12

1. Know thyself.

Spend an hour writing your thoughts on these questions:

What makes you quail? Disease, poverty, a spider over your bed, meeting new people, space-based nukes, a plugged drain, heights, defying your parents? Make a full list. Delve into the feelings those things inspire. What exactly does the fear feel like?

Turn to a fresh page. What does your wild side look like? (If you’re not sure you have much of one, think of it this way: When you were a kid, what did you like to do for fun?) Is it happy, or is it listless and neglected? Listen to it. What is it asking for?

Read over your fears, then read about your wild side. Which makes you feel better? Remember: Fears are only thoughts, but the world is thrillingly real.

2. Say yes to opportunity.

The main thing is to be ready.

The best way to be ready is to get stronger, physically as well as mentally. If you’re out of shape, get active and eat healthier food (you know you’ve been meaning to anyway!). If you’re in decent shape, challenge yourself to get to the level where you really want to be. Having a strong body boosts your confidence and automatically makes you feel more adventurous.

Recognize opportunity. It might come in the form of a hint from a friend (or hey, even an enemy), or you might feel a vague impulse to do something new. Pay attention to these subtle suggestions; get quiet and listen. The instant you start thinking No, counteract that with, What if I did? No might still be the right answer, but it shouldn’t be a knee-jerk one.

When I was facing a milestone birthday (not telling), I started thinking I should do something—anything—to counteract that horrible number. Listening to me whine, a friend challenged me to join him on a rigorous backpacking trip in Washington’s Olympic Mountains. I hadn’t slept outdoors in 20 years, but realized this was what I had to do. Five weeks later, with a body in (somewhat) better condition and a willing spirit, I forged through muck holes and inched along sheer drop-offs. The knowledge I gained of the Olympic backcountry—the harsh terrain, the sound of gushing streams, the emotions stirred by isolation and exposure—brought authenticity to my novel On Location. Reviewers noted its realism, and readers tell me they find certain passages appropriately harrowing.

3. Go backstage.

If all the world’s a stage, there’s got to be a lot of stuff hidden behind the scenes. Walk backstage after a show. Walk backstage anywhere. Talk to the people you find there. Trespass mildly. Open doors that interest you, even if they say “STAFF ONLY: WRITERS KEEP OUT.” Simply open them and walk through. At worst, someone will notice and ask you to leave (apologize and/or play dumb as needed, remembering these magic words that always work for me: “Sorry, I was just looking for the bathroom”). You’ll still catch a glimpse of something you haven’t seen before.

Cops essentially live backstage, know what I mean? Talk to them. The first time I nervously walked up to a police officer with an off-the-wall question, I was curious about why there were so many people begging for money on the main drag in Berkeley, Calif. I got a respectful, long answer that sparked a deeper interest in street people. That interest led me to write realistic passages about street life in my novels Lucky Stiff, Easy Street and The Extra. Now I talk to cops all the time.

4. Get a press pass.

My first job out of university was as a reporter-photographer for a small newspaper. The work extended my education tremendously; I learned how newspapers and city governments really work, plus I got to do unusual, cool things like ride in a police boat and watch dynamite blow up a rock face.

I was reminded of this when I did some freelance work for my local daily recently. Within just six weeks, I’d met and written about performance artists, homeless mothers, sand sculptors, kids with autism, botanists, volunteers, police personnel, an Army sergeant (and an Army wife) and social workers. Pitch an article or offer your services as a freelancer or part-time stringer and see where it takes you. It takes nerve to ask questions (especially if you don’t have any journalistic background), but it’s proportionately rewarding. Invariably you’ll learn off-the-record, juicy stuff that suggests nonfiction book and article ideas as well as fictional plotlines.

5. Learn something new.

Take a class in anything. Build or make something unusual—say, a potato cannon or a paper model of the Forbidden City. Follow an interest to its deeper conclusion. Do it yourself.

A while ago I said yes to a friend, a retired military commander, who invited me to go target shooting in an abandoned quarry. He brought a number of guns. One was a beautifully made hunting rifle with a high-resolution scope. That gun was a smooth joy to fire, accurate and powerful, designed to make a clean kill of big game from a distance. Another was an AK-47. As I handled it, feeling the clunky action, the haphazard finish on the metal and stocks, the clumsy open sights, the loose tolerances, I felt a chill as I realized the gun was meant to do only one thing: kill people at fairly close range, and not cleanly. So simple even a drunk terrorist could drop it in the mud and still destroy with it! Without handling both guns, one after the other, I wouldn’t have known that, wouldn’t have gotten that visceral cold feeling that I’ll never forget—and that I fully intend to evoke in my future crime novels.

6. Do something that makes your palms sweat.

Scared of public speaking? Go to a busy street corner and start orating about something. Express a strong opinion. You will be terrified at first, but if you put your heart into it you will experience a breakthrough. Your fear will transmute to a why-not sort of joy.

Like my fictional series character Lillian Byrd, I play the mandolin. Along the lines of my interest in street people, I’ve had a strong interest in buskers (street performers).

Purely as a test of guts, I’ve busked for money in several cities. It’s surprisingly terrifying to stand on a street corner, open your case, tune up and begin playing. I’ve been photographed by alternative city papers and questioned by passing musicians who think maybe they should try busking too. “It’s like getting paid to practice!” one exclaimed. One time I was challenged by a belligerent panhandler who felt I was hurting her business. That was an interesting conversation.

If you’re considering doing something dangerous, like walking alone in a tough part of town, think it through first. What are you really after? An accurate representation of dread? Maybe it’d be just as scary, and way safer, to walk alone through a cemetery at night. Or maybe you don’t have to be alone to get the experience you’re after.

7. Eavesdrop.

Eavesdropping is illicit, it’s impolite, and it’s great fun.

When I lecture on writing terrific dialogue, I advise my students to eavesdrop to gain a sense of how people really talk. But you must do more than listen; you must be systematic—you must bring your notebook. How often have you heard somebody say something imperishable, but when it came time to recount it, you could only weakly paraphrase? When you take a minute to write it down, it becomes yours.

Coffee shops are the cliché place to eavesdrop, and there’s good reason for it. Often people who haven’t seen each other in a long time meet over coffee to talk their heads off, or people meeting for a not-exactly-a-date first date, or to discuss something important, will do it in a coffee shop.

I used to do a lot of writing at a particular Starbucks in my town. Once in a while I’d see a certain type of couple: a young man sitting drinking coffee with a much older woman. Their conversations were quiet and remarkably intense. And I saw this over and over, with a different young-guy-older-woman combo every time.

I started to wonder. And I started to purposefully, stealthily eavesdrop. I started to look at the bigger picture, and realized that the coffee shop happened to be across the way from an armed forces recruitment center—and these young men and … their mothers had just been there. They’d come out and seen the Starbucks and decided to come in and talk it over.

The faces I saw and the conversations I overheard there were too intimate to recount here, but they informed me as a writer.

Eavesdrop. Write it down. Repeat.

8. Do something repugnant to you.

Challenging your assumptions will result in a broader worldview. Never been to a strip club? Go. Feel uncomfortable about stadium-sized churches? Attend a service. Despise the [fill in the blank] political party? Show up at a rally and watch without judging. Skeptical about mediums? Attend a séance. Do nursing homes creep you out? Walk into one, find a lonely person (which will take eight seconds) and hang out awhile. Do these things and feel them. Avoid labeling or categorizing the resulting experiences, because doing so will keep them on the surface. Instead, let them sink in deep.

Busting out of your comfort zone to seek out unique experiences will not only make you a more  complete person and bring authenticity to your writing, it will suggest new ideas and new work. If you extend yourself, you’ll have an advantage over the couch potatoes and Web addicts.

I invite you to share my current motto: Impulse control is overrated.

I read these tips with interest, but not sure they are my cup of tea. I agree with the headings if not the content.

I can see where she is going with them, however they are a bit way out for me. I am more the cautious type. My impulse control is pretty well in control.