Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Cyber Insane!

Featured Member Today on eHow!

Today I joined LinkedIn after reading an article recommending looking for the "behind-the-scenes" jobs through networking on this site.  It's always been more about who you know, so hopefully this will pay off.

Beautiful weather today, so I was out awhile and also left the front door open.  Tomorrow morning I start an exercise routine.  My goal is to walk a minimum of 45 minutes, 5 days a week between now and 6/15.  I'll probably follow the same course so I can push and walk a little further each day.

Here's a link to the Bobcat in a Cottonwood Bar story.  I'm still laughing about hitting the news for this.  I guess it could be worse.  

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Sunday, March 29, 2009

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain!

Raindrop covered tree


It rained today (in case you can't tell from the title)!  I spent the entire day writing.  Most of you got an email from me on my txbrkr topic - What Every Woman Needs to Know About Cervical Cancer, so I won't worry about copying it here.  Besides, as I noted, I don't own the content...I sold my writing soul for $5.00 for a 500-word article!  The good news is that I'm learning a lot, I'm honing my writing skills, and I'm enjoying it.

Here are my latest eHow articles (all were requested by editors):

How to Connect a PC to a TV   (Kathy, I know you're laughing about this one!!)
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Friday, March 27, 2009

Don't forget to turn out the lights for Earth Hour tomorrow

Tree with Lichen and Ivy


Gray day here.  Not cold, but raw...rained all last night.  Productive morning.  It's noon and I've already:

  • Applied for my 8th job at BNY Mellon
  • Chatted with Aunt Gladys
  • Researched and written a 500-word article on choosing a pet urn (this is for a site called textbroker.com.  - you log on, take a writing test, get assigned a skill level, browse open requests for articles to be written, choose one, write it, submit it, make any necessary edits, and get paid - unlike eHow, you don't own the content and you don't get any residual earnings, but you do get paid a flat fee [or later when you get to be in demand, a negotiated fee] at the time of writing - this client may ask me for more articles - don't get excited about the pay yet, it's only a penny a word, so my article paid me $5)
  • Walked to the Post Office and store in town
Don't forget that tomorrow is the celebration of Earth Hour.  At the same time all over the globe, little green people will turn off their lights to make a dent in our carbon footprint.  On the east coast, it's between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Finally, the BEACH!!




It was finally warm enough (mid 40's and 30mph winds) to hit the beach in jeans, turtleneck, vest, and jacket!  I took a bus to Oak Bluffs and broke in my new beach blanket (thanks, Kathy!).  I ate lunch listening to the crashing waves, and watching the fascinating water against the bright blue sky.



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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Wind in the Oaks

Martha's Vineyard is populated by more oak trees (scrub oak near the shores) than any other tree.  Actually, at this time of year, it populates the island far more than people!!  Anyway, although our temps were in the 40s today instead of the 30s like yesterday, the wind was gusting to 50mph.  Sand + wind = unpleasant walking!  But, really, I still have hope that it will be nice one day.  So for now, I continue to write articles...

All my eHow articles from today were requested by the editors (can you believe someone asked to have an article written on how to cook cream of wheat!  Most likely the makers!)  I wrote the two relationship ones yesterday - they were not requested but are doing well.



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Sunday, March 22, 2009

Grrr...

I'm in a grumpy mood since our temperature on Monday isn't supposed to get above freezing, and we may even have snow.  Enough!  I'm definitely ready for spring.  And what kind of a place doesn't have a pizza place that delivers!


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Saturday, March 21, 2009

8 Hours of Writing


After making my rounds in town this morning (with an extra stop at the GS table for a box of thin mints), I came home.  Between noon and 10pm (with the exception of a nap), I've been writing about making an heirloom toy box.  Again, this was a requested article...I never would have written it without extra "points" involved.  I've learned a great deal about toy boxes, but I already had the ideas for making it an heirloom.  Whether other people will like the ideas is another question entirely!

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Friday, March 20, 2009

A Bedtime Story

The Mutant Monster in My Slanted Ceiling

Each night I climb the stairs and crawl into bed beneath the slanted ceiling of the attic-less second floor.  As I begin to drift, I hear the scutter-scurry of its nightly ritual.  Like tiny fingerless hands and toeless feet fruitlessly trying to anchor themselves, it slides and skitters its way from the peak of the ceiling to within inches of my head.  I hold my breath and quiet my beating heart.  Again, it scurry-scutters this way or that, and I imagine I hear it speaking softly to itself.  If it moves again, how will I keep the buried scream behind my white tight lips?


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Thursday, March 19, 2009

The Vineyard Haven Rounds

Bagel shop plays CNN


I did my bi-daily routine of making the Vineyard Haven rounds today.  They went like this:

  • Bagel shop on Main St - toasted salt bagel with peanut butter (Yeah, I know, could it get any worse?  Carbs, check...fat, check...sodium, check...salmonella possibility, check!)
  • Leslie's Drug Store on Main St - new Reach toothbrush, floss, Frizz-ease Weatherworks conditioners (one rinse out, one leave in)
  • Post Office - only mail was my weekly copy of The Martha's Vineyard Times - headlines: Merry maternity (lambing season in West Tisbury - 2 adorable lambs!!), Rampaging stallion kills mare (honest!), and Aquinnah closes Indian oyster project
  • Stop & Shop - apples, tortillas, diet sodas, Tootsie roll minis, canvas carrying bag (on sale for $.5o)
There are definitely signs of life in town...stores opening, painting, construction, etc.  Yesterday on the bus I saw a speed boat in the harbor at VH...that was  first first for me, but I'm sure not the last.

Things I never thought I'd miss (but do):
  • The sound of a table saw
  • The smell of fresh-cut lumber
Latest eHow Articles
How to Establish Credit for Your Business (requested by eHow editors)
How to Use a Wood Fireplace (requested by eHow editors)


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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Spring but Not Quite Summer

I was really looking forward to going to South Beach today.  The weather was supposed to be warm, and it was bright and sunny.  As I was sitting in Edgartown waiting for my bus connection, I began to shiver from the wind even though I was sitting in the sun.  Because the buses are still running on off-season schedules, a bus only comes to the beach every 2 hours.  I wimped out and decided just to ride the bus down and watch the beautiful beach and ocean pass through my bus window.  Soon...very soon.


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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

CROCUSES!!!


Spring has finally arrived!!  I saw these on my way to the Post Office today.  (I'm still getting used to my Mac photo editing software, so excuse the quality.)


Latest eHow
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Monday, March 16, 2009

eHow I've Learned

Finally!  I found a link to a document written by an eHow expert that gives his opinion after much research on how you can best align your eHow articles to bring income.

It comes down to:  Write a good article that has commercial value (i.e. a product or service that an advertiser can link to), choose a clear title, use keywords relating to your topic about 4% of the time (so about every 20 to 25 words, and "Comments" to the article add to the total word count thereby diluting your keyword density), hope that your article warrants linking to a number of sites or blogs thereby drawing in more readers, and keep your fingers crossed.

Star ratings don't affect the money earned, nor do recommendations.  Nor do number of times the article is viewed, unless the viewer happens to click on one of the ads.  (And there is a program in place to limit clicks by the same person.)

That said, I'll link all my articles so far here, and continue to link new articles as I write them.  If the topic interests you, please read the article.  Otherwise, disregard it and read on about other things happening in my life!

Current eHow Article Links

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Saturday, March 14, 2009

My Report Card

It's a month past the halfway point in my stay on Martha's Vineyard, and I thought it would be a good idea to re-assess my goals and grade myself on what I've done so far.

Original Goals                                                     Grade
Learn more about Dad's family and childhood:            A
Get involved in the community here on MV:              F
Get in shape physically:                                              F
Write about Dad's first 25 years:                                B
Spend time by the ocean                                             D

Extra Curricular                                                 Grade
Travel:                                                                       A
Publish writing online:                                              B
Spend time with family:                                             A
Spend time with friends:                                            C
Blog and photograph my time away:                          C

A pretty poor showing overall, but I have learned some things:
  • I am not likely to ever be more social than I am now
  • I lack motivation to exercise and I'm lazy
  • I do love to write
  • I miss New York, the City and all my friends
  • I really enjoy watercolor painting
  • I'm excited about the prospect of getting certified in Project Mgmt and in Training
Any changes I want to make going forward?
  • Get outside more (better weather will help this)
  • Spend tons more time on the beach (again, spring will help this)
  • More things I can't think of right now
For those of you who are still with me, thank you.  I'm happy I made the choice to take this time away from the regular routine of life, and I've enjoyed sharing it with you so far.


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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Finally!


I'm finally able to switch back to my "real" blog!

Yesterday it rained all day.  It was 50 degrees, but the sky was gray.
Today it was 40 and the skies were bright blue.  I liked today better, wouldn't you?  :-)

I was up and out early today and instead of turning left out of my driveway to go into town, I turned right and headed into unknown territory.  It was a pretty walk.  The photo is from a main road on the Vineyard, State Road, looking towards Tashmoo Lake.

I'm using a new Mac now.  It's not so different that I'm having problems, but I'm sure there is a ton of stuff I still need to learn.

I guess I should actually retitle my blog, The Vineyard and ??? since I won't be able to afford to go to Vermont for the summer, but it looks like I may end up filing a small claim in court there, so I'll see VT a little at least.

It's impossible to concentrate on writing my book any longer.  The good thing is that I have the framework and many of the stories written.  That means I'll be able to pick it up when I finally get back into my apartment in September.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm now an eHow fiend.  It's a lot of fun and I have earned 30 cents, so who can complain?!!!


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