Hmm.. This seems kinda redundant.

Something I found in my internet-browsing-adventures while holding my son..
It starts out with an article about govenerment grants, how the govennment can help you get out of debt with your bills, and a guy who has taken time out of his VERY busy schedule, wearing a question-mark suit somewhat reminescent of The Riddler, to talk about it 'today'.
After clicking this link you will find an opening page that promises 'free' money from the government in order to help pay some bills. With this recession and Christmas just around the corner, I can see where it might be tempting for some hard-up parents to check further into this. Ah okay, I checked myself. *sigh* Sue me.

After choosing the category of which you need the Government's help with, you get transferred automatically to a 'Buy Me Now for More Information' ad.

Okay.. is it just me or does this seem a little twisted? If someone has gotten to the point where they need money from the government to pay off their bills so they can start working towards getting out of debt.. Do you think they really should be buying random books telling them how to ask the government to help them pay off their bills? I dunno.. Maybe I'm just overreacting, but it just seems like if someone can't pay their bills, they probably don't have extra money to buy random books.
Ahah.. Time to go clean the fish tank. :) Got my daughter a fish for Christmas!

Crash and Burn!

Okay.. maybe just crash.. Well.. As anyone who might have been keeping up with my blog has noticed (ahem.. emphasize on *might*) I have been absent for a while in my blogging adventures, here's why..
For some reason Blogger has been crashing my browser every time I try to access my blog.. Causing a horrific and sometimes gut-wrenching response as I watch every browser window slowly (and I mean slowly) diminish.. Including the super long cover email I've just written out for a job-position.
On to other news..
Game production has been put on hold until current sponsor issues are resolved. Lets hope this happens sooner then later.. I'm starting to have withdrawal pains. :)
Christmas is coming up and so is the new year of 2009. Time to start pulling out your resolution lists everyone! I, for one, am already working on one full of expectations.. Pshaw, who needs a nagging wife when your already being one for yourself? :)
Games. I am still on my simulation-game craze and seem to have found a new inlet to feed my addiction. www.playedonline.com has all types of games (though I have yet to really delve into the database) and I'm sure will keep me busy in my down-time while holding the son. Ah speak of the little guy..
Wellp, the son calls!

I just saved $50 at Albertsons!

But lets face it.. is THAT really something to brag about? I mean.. I ended up spending 40 bucks just to save $6 on a turkey. I needed the items I got, but could have seriosely gotten twice the amount at Wal-Mart or WinCo that I got at Albertsons.. And to make matters worse.. the kids were cranky, the daughter was running all over the place.. not content holding Jono's hand, the aisles were cramped, and my fellow elbowing shoppers were rude.. Stopping in the narrow aisles for random products.. Not even ending up getting more often then not.
After the slightly hectic experience (and getting home, 40 minutes later to find that the carton of Reeses Ice Cream that was 'on sale' had no seal on it) my husband told me he would NEVER go back to Albertsons again.
I tend to agree with him.. Even if I know in two years we'll forget about the pain it was to get that awesome deal on a turkey for Thanksgiving and amble back through those glass automatic doors for our Turkey-Day shopping once again..

Total Transformation?

Have been up early with my son this morning and after reading blogs for about an hour, I hopped into the gliding chair to rock my son to sleep.
We only have 2 channels at the moment. (Fox and a Christian channel) I opted for Fox and wouldn't you know it.. A paid advertising program was on :P. As if that's uncommon.. ahem.
Anyways.. this was about Total Transformation.. Apparently a program to teach parents how to be in control of their out-of-control kids.
Okay.. It kind of started rubbing me wrong listening to the guy talking but I didn't know why. Sure I know there's some pretty wild kids out there who push their parents out of their lives.. Doing whatever their big enough to do. And I also know that alot of parents could use help figuring out how to make a difference in their child's life. So why have a problem with someone trying to make a profit from helping?
I think what bugged me.. His tone, and his choice of wording. Saying things such as 'If you know how to change your kid, why haven't you done so yet?' And 'It's not going to change until you pick up that phone and call.' strikes me as not only arrogant but disrespectful to parents. YES some kids are difficult to manage, but if it took him 30 years to figure it out (as he says).. I think there IS a chance (even if 1/1 mil) that we parents CAN change our kids lives without the help of Mr. Bighead.
About the time that a couple were on the screen saying "If you truly love your kid-" the tv got shut off. Ugh.. Just had to rant today. It's one thing to offer a program to help parents learn how to show authority to their children, but to insinuate that parents aren't competent enough to figure it out on their own? Would almost rather switch to the Christian channel.. Almost.

Cannonballs!

Ahh yum... MMMM Clam Chowder Bowls! I made these last night for dinner, and I have to say.. Yes, I'm proud. (Still patting myself on the back)

Am I Still Writing?

Well.. I know it's been a while since I've updated my blog on what is happening in my writing. I was a little uncertain of what I could disclose to the public as I had signed an NDA.. (That little contract can be very intimidating by the way.)
After talking to my boss, I think an update is definately in order!
After two weeks of training, I just recently signed a contract with Darksynth Productions as Level Design/Character Creation on an unnounced RPG beginning production.. well.. later today! I'll be keeping the salary amount undisclosed. :)
The company site is currently down and in the process of being updated so will post information as soon as this is finished. (crossing my fingers it's sooner rather then later)
Also on my plate, I accepted an internship to a fashion & lifestyle magazine called Upgrade, putting out 6 issues this coming year. You can find their website at www.upgmagazine.com .
My novel has gotten a bit further, but still far from being ready for an agent. *sigh* I suppose the world will have to wait just a little longer for my works.. Something tells me, the ocean's not going to dry up and the sky isn't gonna rain pizza sauce just because my novel hasn't hit stands in the hoped for time-slot.
Writing aside.. Halloween.. The kids had alot of fun. We had my super-girl dressed 4 year old niece, (my sister's baby had caught a cold and wasn't able to get out) my 3 year old daughter who was a pirate-princess and my 3 month old son dressed as a dragon. After going down three streets, we called it good, dropped my niece off and headed over to a friend's house where my daughter got even more goodies. (As if she needed them. :P)
One thing I thought was kind of cute.. Someone handed out a little plastic-wrapped toothbrush. While I doubt I would have been very excited as a kid at getting a toothbrush instead of candy for Halloween, my daughter loved it.
Aw.. the tyke is calling. Good luck everyone on your Freelance Writing efforts today! And keep it up! :)

'WAMO Syndrome'

"WAMO Syndrome is the condition one finds themselves in after initally being a tank for an extended period of time. 'Bane admitted his WAMO Syndrome after being utterly slaughtered by running his healing monk directly into the AOE.' "

Ah.. We all have experienced this condition.. Whether we have it ourselves, or a mission where an invitation of a friend or guildy quickly turns sour, hordes and hordes of monsters swarming all over the disabled body of a BP Ranger.. Too quick to tank.
WAMO Syndrome is a common occurance among the MMORPG community, ranging from young to old alike. What can we do to help our loved ones? What can we do to help ourselves??
1. Ask for help! Admitting you have a problem is the first step to solving it.
2. Don't sabotage yourself: Refrain from even 'this one time' out-of-profession-tanking.
3. Avoid Bad Examples: Friends who carry the same disease? Avoid them in the act. WAMOism feeds off of WAMOism.
4. Don't give into Peer Pressure! Just because everyone else is doing it doesen't mean you have to do it.
5. Get a Pet: Go train a pet.. Maybe a tiger from Factions, or even a Flamingo from NF.. But PLEASE.. If you feel the need to witness utter slaughterization and to aggravate a ball of enemies.. Send your pet in. He's tough. He can handle it.. Really.

With these helpful hints perhaps even YOU can make a difference.

Tips for a Stress-Free Halloween Party

Halloween is just around the corner and you have a tyke and about a dozen pint-sized guests to plan a party for.
Still haven't gotten past the party list? Well, don't panic.. Here's a few helpful tips and ideas to get you on the right hant-inspired path.
For a safe alternative to open flames, use wickless candles or decorative string-lights. You can place these candles randomly on surfaces without having to worry about knocked over flames or dripping candle wax and still keep a spooky glow. Better still, you can continue to use the candles and lights in your day-to-day decorating strategy.
Plastic gothic-style fences and sheer fabric or cobweb-style sheets can be used to section off areas you don't want wandering costume-clad guests to explore.
Check your local Dollar Store for plastic Halloween serving bowls or goblets to set around the room filled with candy. Who knows? You may be surprised at all the inexpensive goodies finding their way into your cart to add to the party.
Okay, so now you have party decor covered, but what to do to keep those little rug trolls entertained? Here are a few games themed for the Hallows Eve spirit.
Eyeball Scoop is a game where you blindfold someone with a doubled-over bandana and scatter cotton balls in front of them on the carpet. Hand over a serving spoon and bowl and let the tyke loose. The object of the game is to spoon as many 'eyeballs' into the bowl in a set amount of time. Because the cotton balls are so light, this is a fun challenge for even adults!
Another fun game is to set up pumpkins and to divide the guests into groups of two members. Designating each team with a pumpkin and permanent marker, explain that one of the members of the team draws on the side of the pumpkin opposite him, while the other member is his eyes. The 'Eyes' will have to tell the Drawer how to move his marker in order to create a spooky face.
Scavenger hunts and costume contests are always fun while 'pass-it-on' ghost stories might get a little interesting if you have a creative tyke in the group.
Stumped on what to fix your guests? Check out www.halloweenrecipes.org for punch and food ideas. A creative little trick to liven up your punch bowl is to fill up a cleaned plastic glove with water, tying it off with a rubber band and sticking it in the freezer the night before your party.
When it comes time to pull out your ghoulish brew, slip the now frozen hand out of the glove and into the punch bowl to surprise any unsuspecting punch-dipping guest.
Above all, remember that if you plan with safe practices in mind, your Halloween will be much more enjoyable and much less stressful.

Halloween.. A Night of Witches, Vampires and.. Lucky Charms?

It's been a while since I last posted, so I decided to go ahead and post an article I had tried selling to a marketing company. :) Yay Halloween's just around the corner!

Halloween.. The one night a year where Batman, Superman, and Cinderella rally together in a door-to-door hunt for chocolate and suckers. Laughter fills the night as children dressed in costumes ring door bells with sticky fingers and toothy "Trick or Treat"s.
With glowing Jack-O-Lanterns on doorsteps and white-sheeted ghosts, it seems very unlikely Halloween would have Celtic origins. However, it is believed Halloween first originated from a Celtic holiday called Samhain, where the Druids (Priests of the Celts) built massive bonfires.. Sacred to the townspeople, they would offer crops and animal sacrifices to the open flames for their Gods.
This event took place on the 31st of October (Halloween), the day before the Celt's New Year and the end of their harvest and summer. Celtic belief was that Samhain was a night of haunt. Believing ghosts of the world of dead were able to pass over the boundary and return to earth to reap havoc on the town's crops and produce other problems and troubles. It is said many would disguise themselves in animal skins as a sort of mask so as not to be recognized by the evil spirits when leaving their homes that night.
While the thinned boundary between spirit world and living was frightening to the Celts, they also believed that this time made it easier for their Priests to read the future.
Later, sometime in A.D. 600 to 700, one or several of the Popes, believed to be in an attempt to replace the Celtic event with a holiday approved by the Catholic church perhaps, moved All Saints' Day (also called All Hollows Day) from it's previous date early in the year to November 1st. Eventually the night before All Hollows Day became All Hollows Eve, which evolved into our modern holiday, Halloween. While this is a widely believed theory of how Halloween became, it seems to be only one of many.
Many believe, without foundation it seems, the Celtic festival Samhain was named after a God of Death. Others believe there wasn't a God of Death at all but that this is a myth fabricated by philosophers in earlier days. Other rumors say that the Druids were far from harmless and went from door to door in search of virgin sacrifices to offer to Samhain leaving a jack-o-lantern and candle made of human fat to ones who cooperated to ward off the evil spirits wandering through the streets that night. This is perhaps where some believe the traditional glowing pumpkin comes in seen on most doorsteps around Halloween.
Though there are many different beliefs throughout the world on the nature of Halloween when it first began, most everyone agrees it originated in the lands that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and some of France.
However it came about, Halloween in modern times is a festive holiday in which children and adults alike have the excuse to be who they want to be.. even if it is under a mask.

Eternal Flames?

Ever notice that most video game dungeons and catacombs are always lit with torches? Even though these dungeons are usually uninhabited and have been so for hundreds of years? How does this happen? Does some little pixelated-game-elf hop along in front of you lighting the way or are the torches 'motion-sensor'?

Wallpaper is a curse..

Wallpaper.. the sticky layer of flowery deception.
What IS hiding behind those patterned pretty flowers? Water stains? Mildew? Horrific nests of cockroach families? Do we even want to know?
Not really.. but those little dots of pastel pink and green flowers call to you, a distraction hovering in your peripheral vision, begging you to stop working and turn your tortured eyes to it's beckon.. Counting each and every flower as preciouse minutes tick by, your work day essentially shot.
Why do we use it? Here are some possible scenarios..
*1. You just moved here.. You have nothing to do with the legion of chipper flowers adorning your walls, and your landlord for some reason is partial to it. Maybe it was his grandmother's and has sentimental value.. fortunate for him, HE doesen't have to live with it.
*2. Wall-Papers R Us had an excellent sale on anything with little pink roses and it was cheaper then painting.
*3. YOUR grandmother put it up, and it has sentimental value to YOU.
*4. It just matches the pink and white sofa.
*5. Your hiding ketchup-stained walls. An incident you really don't want to discuss.
*6. You just like it. Those pretty little flowers give you warm, fuzzy feelings and something to stare at during the day.
Anyways.. Whatever the reason.. What if you decide you need to get rid of it? Well! That's what I decided after rearranging my living room several times in the last month to no avail. I did some googling and the first link that popped up, brought a website that I intend to follow this coming year when tackling my wallpaper project. http://ezinearticles.com/?11-Tips-for-Stripping-Wallpaper:-How-to-Get-Rid-of-Ugly-Wallpaper!&id=4341
Unfortunately, since nearly every room is covered in it, this could be a very big project.. Hence why next spring is the 'to-do' date. I plan on recording and covering the whole process with before and after pictures to post on my blog. :) So stay tuned for that!
Life in the Freelance Writing World... Hmm.. Nacie Carson, a reader of FWJ (freelancewritinggigs.com) sent in a post that I feel is a necessity to read for any who have a site. She tells about her recent experience with hackers, the damage, and how you can prevent this from happening to you. Check out her post here: http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2008/10/06/got-a-web-site-be-sure-to-back-it-up/#comment-47947
Jodee posted some great job leads on FWJ today, so definately check that out. A job for a comedy writer (for a mock-horoscope site) among others are listed today, check out Jodee's posting here: http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2008/10/06/freelance-writing-jobs-for-monday-october-6-2008/#comment-47950
Okay, enough plugging, work calls. *puts on the work face*
Happy Freelancing!

My sister has cell-phone-gnawing-Savage Squirrels in her yard. Seriosely. :)

Anyways.. another late night with the son. Thankfully it's been one of those nights where he's made it easy for me to write, allowing the few assignments I had on my list to be finished, formatted and sent out.
So even though I'm super tired and missing my nice warm bed, I'm pretty darn happy that I'm ahead of schedule.
Ahh.. short post, unfortunately the tyke is calling. Nitey Nite!

Aww.. The Sweet Taste of Victory

Or.. Okay, maybe it's just Frosted Cheerios, but at the moment it tastes pretty darn good.

Finally selling your first piece of freelance work feels kinda like that. You know it's not breaking the bank, but tastes pretty good after hard work and very slim rewards from it.

Where did the bowl of Cheerios come into play with all this? Well.. The reason may seem silly, but for the past few weeks I haven't had time to eat breakfast. Partly for the reason that I'm holding my son most of the time, and the other part because if I'm not holding him I'm cleaning, taking care of my daughter or typing. (You'd be suprised at how something so small as being able to type with two hands can make a person willingly pass up breakfast.)

While it was only bought for $24, I was still way-excited about selling my first article since breaking out in the Freelance World online. And it gave me motivation to keep plugging on. :)

I currently am working on trying to get a few more articles written up for the same group, but have no guarantee they will be purchased.

My new favorite job-searching source (who gave me my first sale-lead) posts every morning after searching and picking the cream of the crop so-to-speak. You can find her at this link: http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/

Not only are there excellent job leads, but everyone who posts on this site are full of information for newbie writers such as myself. :)

Aw.. the son calls. Happy Freelancing!

How I'm Being Involuntarily Green

I'd like to say that the reason my refrigerator is unplugged is because I had an irresistible urge to save on electricity therefore helping the environment. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Truth be told, my fridge broke while sitting in storage for 9 months.
And where does that leave me? A half gallon of cold-enough milk, a bag of melting ice, a block of cheese, and a few containers of leftovers for the hubby's lunches. Not to mention a whole stock-pile of dried and canned foods.
I'm still mentally patting myself on the back for indulging in my irritating quirk of needing to have an even amount of supplies in my shopping cart. (2 cans of pineapple, 4 boxes of Rice-a-Roni) And to think the husband points a mocking finger at me for this.. Pshaw. Where would we be at if my irresistible urge for even amounts of Rotel and chicken broth had been stunted early? Without food.. That's what.
For the past two weeks we've been living out of a ice chest. The mini mart next door must really have an inkling to find out why we're over there every night to pick up a new bag of ice. Unfortunately, moving into a nicer house kind of leaves you broke for a bit, so while we're waiting on the Cleaning Deposit from our nonresponsive landlord, we've had to make do with Trusty Green.
Being forced into green-ship made me stop and think.. What is all this Eco-friendly talk about? Is it just about tree-huggers embracing the fashion scene and the consumption of 'green' corporations as I had earlier thought? Surely there has to be more to it. So on went my computer and up came my trusty friend, Google.
At first I mostly found articles testifying to my earlier belief, Corporations had latched onto this new trend with a ferocity that left me checking my wallet.
It happened in a moment of frustrated disgust.. I had seen enough Eco-friendly products, promising to save the planet for a good sized chunk of your income to just about give up. Finally with one last thought, I just typed in 'going green'.
The first link brought up the information I was looking for.
Going Green is a website dedicated to explaining what has spurred this Eco-Celebrity trend. It explains the why of what is happening to our world, not the why you should wear this triple-recycled $85 shirt or how you should line up your eco-saving bamboo pants to match Celebrity Such-and-Such's style.
About an hour was spent clicking bright-green links and reading with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. The thought of what we and our ancestors before us had done to our planet and the almost certain downward spiral of the environment definitely gave me a moment's panic.
Slowly we had been polluting the planet with natural gasses to the point of impending suffocation. The result? Floods, extreme heat, deaths and extinction of the living, and an increase of potentially diseased pests such as rats.
Between the destruction of our ozone layer which protects us from the sun's dangerous UV rays to the effects co2 is having on our environment, Going Green is definitely a site worth checking into. Not only does it explain for the adult world, but is also tailored so that the eyes of the youth can understand the effects our existence is having on the planet.
The website goes on to explain how we as normal people can help the environment by very possible steps. After reading these tips, I was able to come up with a few things that might help in my every day-to-day life. I don't necessarily agree with boycotting non-recycle companies, but I do think it is wise to take a moment and consider how YOU as a consumer can recycle on your own.
For more information on what is happening to our world and how you can help, click this link:
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/4990/

Cross Your T's and Dot Your 'Eyes'?

Another day of Freelance job hunting.. It's a Saturday, and while I spent a majority of the day finishing my resume and replying to some calls for Freelance Writers.. I was able to sit down with my husband and drop 'Hitman' into the DVD player.
Two hours later, I found myself holding my son with Brutis' mouse in my hand. Research. There's a fashion magazine call for writers and editors and I intended to write up a piece to submit as a sample tonight. This proved less easy than I thought.
I first started searching for Fall Fashion for 2008.. then realizing that most runway fashion doesen't make it to the streets but is watered down to a more practical, easier managed trend, I took to 'Street Fashion'...
Ahem.. Okay.. About Street Fashion. I really admire most of the trendsetters these days, but the one who gave birth to respelling a word to make it slang by actually ADDING letters just strikes me as idiotic.
Eye? Eye.. Why on earth take a simple word of one letter that explains and describes so much and add two letters to make yourself sound unlearned? I'm all about comfort. I'm one of those who, while I know aint aint a word, can't help but spout the blasphemic word in my everday language just because it's fun to say.. But eye? Eye doesen't even sound different then I. It just causes a little more inconvenience to the typist who for some odd reason feels it necessary to misspell.
Isn't slang all about convenience? And comfort? When did taking longer to type become slang? It's bad enough when you can't hardly understand most of today's teens due to lack of letters.
When 'txt talking' first came out, that was allright. It was convenient and saved the frequent texter from expensive conversations between friends. You can't blame someone for typing cn't instead of can't. Or u instead of you. But.. eye instead of I? Are we going backwards? Is this some kind of conspiracy with the mobile phone service companies? Have they come to the conclusion that we as a consumer MUST text long sentences to get a simple point across to keep them afloat?
Bah.. Too much research into the outside world. My laundry calls.

Writer's Insomnia

Insomnia.. 64 million Americans get it a year.. Apparently even exhausted parents who, when their newborn finally goes to sleep at a decent time, find themselves VERY awake lying in bed. Late-night brainstorms often wiggle their way in about that time, and something that seemed like a breakthrough at 2 a.m. turns into me shaking my head in wonder at 9 a.m. Such as turning all the half-empty bottles of condiments in my fridge upside-down in order to help 'speed up the process' of squeezing it out. We all know how long that can take, right? And when you have a toddler that desperately wants their ketchup, and a one month old crying in the other room because for some reason they've turned Anti-Bassinet, it stands to reason that a little nitro dropped in the squeeze bottle wouldn't hurt..

Well.. that's all fine and dandy. IF you remember to close all the lids properly. Ahem. Needless to say, my self-pride was deflated a little after a session with Simple Green and a half a roll of paper towels.

Anyways..

I've noticed that when I'm dealing with my son.. Bouncing him, rocking him or feeding him, my mind tends to wander to my novel. Sad to say I still haven't finished the first draft on the first chapter.. uhm.. page. I'm not sure I have ever gotten a block so early on. I know what I want to write, I just don't know how to put the words on paper so to speak, and this leads to frustration which intensifies my block. It's a vicious circle.

The past few nights I've found that when the kids are sleeping, I get a nearly irresistible urge to write. The problem is.. I've had to cut myself back, as I know I haven't gotten enough sleep with the kids having colds here lately, and if I start writing.. I wont stop till far into the morning. And with us moving erm.. TOMORROW? It's been a bit stressful and hectic. Thankfully it'll all be over in a few days and I can get back to a somewhat normal schedule. So I just deal with the craving.. my eyes wide open and my mind wandering over what could help my main character (whom will be unnamed for the moment) along past the first page.. okay.. uh.. paragraph. YES, I have a storyboard and some wavering semblance of a plot. I just haven't managed to get Brutis' keyboard and my fingers to work together yet.

Is it strange to name your computer? And not just name it, but christen it with a clearly stereotypical aggressive title..?

I sent a sample of some work to a 'news' site which reminds me strangely of the Onion Movie and was given the 'go-ahead' to submit work to them freelance whereas I would get compensation per comment left on my work. Seems a bit strange, but really it makes a bit of sense for them. If they don't get anyone looking at something, there is no point in spending money on it. I'll wait to see if any of my work even gets posted on the site before linking to it.. Less pressure on me. :)

Well.. My house's state of a wreck is calling- Boxes piled everywhere, an empty fridge, and my daughter's toys strewn all about the house.. Hmmm..

Formula-Scented Research

It's amazing how it takes having a 2 and a half year old toddler hanging on your chair arm jabbering like it's the jabberthon, and a one month old newborn crying in your arms with a cold to appreciate being able to type with two hands..
As I type with one hand.. I often find my mind going back to my online nickname dubbed to me by my former guildies. MachineGunFingers. Wonder if I'd shame them with my chicken-pecking? Hmm.. Oh.. Yes I was a mmorpg addict. Guild Wars occupying my thoughts and my conversations with my husband daily. "Bane and I went farming at Yak's Bend today, and I totally stocked up on Summit Badges!" or "Temp and Dragon totally had a moment while pulling trolls above Droks in our guild-raid earlier." Hey! At least it wasn't WOW..
But all that aside.. I finally decided to get serious about my writing. As long as I can remember, I've put off doing anything that could potentially be successful in my non-existent career. Can it really be called a career when all you have is a half of a year writing freelance for the local newspaper 3 years ago? Ahem.. anyways.. While holding a fussy, crying baby whom needed to be bounced in one arm, I typed in google and did some researching.
My efforts were rewarded with a nifty 'About' site that covered just about everything I had been telling myself I needed to know. Allena Tapia gives information and resources to newbie freelancers and more advanced writers alike, including a list of places to look for you next gig. You can find her site at: http://freelancewrite.about.com/
After Noah and I (Noah mostly spitting up into several burp rags during this period of time) read for close to a hour, something she said stuck with me... Allena advises newcomers to the freelance world to 'start writing'. Whether it be something with a purpose or just simply to rant.. such as writing a blog. It will help you get past your writer's block if you just try to put something on paper.. erm.. computer screen.
Slightly doubtful but willing to give it a try, I readied my single barrel fingers for a long and tedious session of chicken-pecking. As I typed, slow as it may be, I found the words coming more naturally to my mind, pauses becoming almost non-existent, and the enjoyment of actually writing eventually returning.
I can happily vouch for the 'type it off' method of writing even if the infamous writer's block plagues your creative consciousness.
This blog was born with the intention of recording my efforts in this world.. encouraging myself to keep 'plugging' and in hopes of exercising my creative muscles.
With my son demanding my attention again, I guess that is my cue to close with encouragement to fellow writers stepping out in hopes of one day their work being appreciated by another. With so many one-armed moms and dads desperate for something to take their minds off sleepless nights and a fussy newborn almost permanently attached to their other arm, you know there has to be a market for YOUR creativity somewhere..