This post is
for a 100 word picture prompt in. Faith Fiction Friday -
A walk through the woods brought me to a quaint bridge,
with water running under it! The picturesque bridge reminded of the beautiful song
‘Bridge over troubled waters” by Simon & Garfunkel. Personally, I adore
Elvis Presley’s version! Whatever!
Coming back to the bridge, isn’t Christ the
bridge who helps us cross over troubled waters? The troubled waters are the
trials, temptations and turbulence of this life. Without
a bridge we would be in the waters. He cares enough for us, to build a bridge
when we need it the most! Christ is our bridge over troubled waters, the one to
get us past the tough times!
‘For
there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus’ 1 Timothy 2:5
(NIV)
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This post is
for a 100 word picture prompt in...
Train!
Recently I
read a snippet from a newspaper :
British
hurdles world champion , Dai Greene, had to run across a train track while a speeding
oncoming train was just 300 meters away, for a rail track death
awareness campaign ! In the advert, even Greene, an agile athlete, struggles to
cross the tracks safely, as rain, grease and other hazards hamper his progress. The
message is loud and clear. When a trained, alert and swift athlete strives to cross the track , how can untrained
ordinary people hope to make it across the track? A powerful message!
Like wise, only people who have trained themselves
to submit their will to God,by praying faithfully and obeying His commandments , can cross life’s hurdles
however hazardous.
A Prayer:
“Show me your ways, LORD, teach me
your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and
my hope is in you all day.” Psalm 25:4-5.
160 Words.
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This 100 word post is in response to the picture prompt by Faith Fiction Friday.
We should always be ready for 'take off' to fly away to our eternal home!
While our home is in heaven, we have a responsibility here in this beautiful world God created for us.We have to live the life we were meant to live, within the parameters set by God.
He has commanded us,'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'Mathew 22:37-39
God has gifted us the ability to love,have compassion,show kindness ,be caring and to live in peace and harmony.Use them!
Above all,realise the power of prayer and forgiveness!
Remember Jesus had said, "I have given you an example, that as I have done, so should you do."(John 13:15)
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This 100 word post is for Faith Friday Fiction prompt...
I gazed at the awesome calm scenery and reflected that it has so much meaning for me! I saw the huge rock in the forefront,the uneven rocks,the stream and the colourful trees.
Jesus Christ is the solid huge rock I lean on!
The uneven rocks remind me of the rocky path Jesus tread while carrying the cross for me !
The stream reminds me ,“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.' (Isaiah 43:2).
The trees tell me that a man who delights in the law of the Lord is "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."(Psalm 1:1)
When the Lord lives within you ,you will see God's manifestation all around you!
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The prompt for week 57 of our GBE 2 group is "Two Days Ago".
Two Days Ago…
I completed re-reading ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ by Baroness Orczy. The last time
I read the book was 44 years back when I was in junior college .It was the
first novel I had read! Till then, I was into Archie's comics and believe it or
not, Phantom comics!
My novel-reading journey started
when I was introduced to novels by a class mate Savithri , who was a voracious
reader. One day, I had accompanied her to our huge college library and as she
was choosing her books, I stood there all lost amongst the racks and racks of
books. She picked up the 'The Scarlet Pimpernel’ and told me that when I was
done, I would be hooked to reading! Was she right? Indeed, yes! Baroness Orczy
was followed by Daphne du Maurier, Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Jane Austin
and the Bronte sisters. It was then, I was sure that I wanted to major in
English literature in college as I was all at sea in science and maths. I
realize that I'd been a slow starter at reading but then, I’m glad I did it
finally!
Coming back to ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ , the book is about Sir Percy
Blakeney, a Georgian British society fop who leads a double life as a dandy and
as the Scarlet Pimpernel, a superhero who rescues French aristocrats during the
Reign of Terror that followed the French Revolution. Since Baroness Orczy put
pen to paper, the Scarlet Pimpernel has been a source of inspiration to many
twin life superheroes like Bruce Wayne/Batman, Clark Kent/Superman, Zorro and
Phantom. I was so taken in by the 18th and 19th century royal settings and
their genteel English language that Barbara Cartland and Georgette Heyer became
my favorite light reads!
But then, reading classics is a delight and a league apart! They have stood the
test of time .They began by surviving and survived by being fun to read. They
have enchanted and entertained readers for decades! Moreover, I love to come
across the many words that are no longer used!
One of the saddest effects of modern society with distractions like video
games, TV etc, has been to take young people away from the joy of reading great
literature. Survey shows that youngsters of today prefer glossy magazines and
contemporary best sellers to classic novels and favor watching the movie
version of the classics to reading the books.
Why talk about the youngsters? I love the new chic
lit novels as well,especially Sophie Kinsella and her shopaholic series!
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For GBE 2 Blog On" #56 If I Had My Life to Live Over...
I have often griped and grumbled about wanting
to live my life all over again, as I yearned for a quality life!
Now the big
IF has given me a chance to do just that! I close my eyes and gleefully reflect
on what I would love to change!
I think
about…
My parents
and siblings.
NO, I would not exchange them, for all the
treasures in the world.
My
education.
I was
never a class topper, but I’ve managed to scrape through school and college. I
am still learning .So I guess that’s
fine!
My husband.
In spite
of being short tempered and a workaholic, he’s loving, caring and responsible.
So maybe he’s ok too! :)
My in laws.
They
have always been there for me! Great!
My children.
They are God’s gift to me. I love
them so. If they have turned out to be, headstrong and short tempered with
definite views, I blame it on the family genes!
My friends.
We enjoy
our own space but together times are fun times.
Charity
Work.
As president and member of social
organizations, I’ve pitched in my bit!
DONE.
It’s an eye
opener! It seems that I would not have my life any other way!
Well, not exactly!
I would have loved to travel, holidayed at exotic places with my children and wish
they did not grow up so fast. (Ranting of an empty nester?) A major craving –
Wish I had lived in the big city near my siblings instead of a small town!
Anyway, life is not a bed of roses and
I’ve had my huge share of thorns. But the fragrances of roses have eased the
pain of the prickly thorns. The prickly thorns have taught me patience and compassion,
putting my trust and faith in God completely. I’ve learnt to never give up on my hopes and
dreams! The difficult situations I had to face, the puzzles in life I had to
solve gave me strength and wisdom too. I am what I am today because of the
prickly thorns!
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 |
| Our High School |
It had been 45 years since I sauntered past the
wooden stairs, the assembly hall and out of the front porch of our high school
in Nilgris, a hill station in South India to start a new life, college life. Since then, I’d never met or seen my class
mates! So naturally, when four and a half decades later, our High School Reunion
was organized, I was thrilled and appalled!
I was
thrilled at the prospect of going back to our school after 45 years and meeting
my class mates. How can I ever forget our school, nestled in the blue
mountains, surrounded by tall eucalyptus trees, silver oaks, clean chill air,
dew drops on the lush green grass, chirping birds, our school principal, Mr
Fox, my classmates- the girls in navy blue skirts and blazers and boys in grey
with navy blue blazers and of course the red and grey striped ties?
But then, I was appalled that I’m a much older woman at present
(signs of vanity)with tinges of grey hair, expanded waistline with maybe a
wrinkle or two! Anyway, with oodles of self doubt and uncertainty, my curiosity
about my classmates got the better of me and I attended the reunion.
As I arrived at the school campus, I saw the present
students seated under trees and laughing. Was it really 45 years since I too
sat with my friends under those trees? Seems like just the other day!
Anyway, meeting my batch mates and my schoolmates
was an awesome experience! What amazed me was the fact that nothing had REALLY changed,
in spite of expanded waistlines, grey hair and receding hairlines! Though time
had separated us and perhaps time had changed us, I could still see the same
mannerisms, the same smile, the same boisterousness and the same zest in them. It
was like picking up the threads of yesterday and not of 45 years. Maybe that’s
the power of the bond that we form, sharing childhood and early teens!
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I look around my empty nest, feeling lonely
and gaze out of the window. ‘It’s still snowing,’ I tell myself, as I watch the
white snowflakes drifting down gently on to the icy white carpet.
Suddenly a movement catches the corner of my eyes.
I turn to see my neighbor’s small daughter, Amanda running around in circles in
the snow, laughing and squeaking in delight! Curious, I peer closely and notice that she is
trying to hold on to something. Is it a snowball? No, it looks more like a
cotton candy with sprinkles of chocolate! ‘White and chocolate marble cotton candy?
Maybe it’s the flavor of the season! I must taste it, when I go to the fair
next time!’ I think aloud.
I put on my
coat and go outside to help Amanda retrieve her candy. As I near Amanda, I
realize that the chocolate and white vision has life!
Amanda smiles, ‘He’s Ginger! Mom and Dad gave me
this puppy for my birthday.’ Ginger seems to be a bundle of energy, sprinting
in full throttle, jumping and tumbling! As I move closer, Ginger stops and stares
at me, cocking his head! Then he dashes towards me, hurtling himself into my
arms.
I knew then that Amanda and the puppy were going to fill my lonely days
with love and
laughter!
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A Full Circle
I close my
weary eyes in prayer. My tired mind wanders, travelling through the rough and
winding paths of my life and dwells on a pretty face, with unpretentious
dimpled laughter, twinkling eyes, smooth flawless skin and dark curly tresses falling
about her shoulders. She literally breezed into our lives.
My twin girls, just out of their teens and I
were on the beach. What a perfect day it was! The blue sky, the sparkling sea,
the salty wind blowing against our faces , our hair tossed about and our sun
kissed bodies sprinkled with sand !We teased each other, joked and laughed
uncontrollably for no reason at all. I paused to think, ‘Life is good to a
single parent like me. My adorable girls fill my life with so much happiness’.
Suddenly, a gentle gust of breeze hurled a hat at us and I looked up to see a
slim figure, about my age, coming towards us to claim her hat. ‘Hi, I’m Anna’
she said. ‘Please, can I join you? I’m all alone. I’ve been watching you all
have an awesome time together’. She went on to add that being an orphan, she
had no family, never married nor had kids. Anna was fun and the girls took to
her.
When we returned back home, Anna started
coming over very often, showering the girls with expensive clothes and
accessories as gifts- a sure way to young girls hearts! Next, on the pretext of
teaching them facial make up tricks, Anna started spending time in the room
which the twins shared. Gradually I noticed a change in my children. Suddenly
it seemed that whatever I did was wrong, my past actions were dug up and
criticized. I was responsible for everything that went wrong in the house or
with them! I was hurt. Explanations did not matter. I was wrong and that was
that! Anna, even encouraged them not to tell me about the boys they were dating
as I would be sizing them up! I decided enough was enough and forbade her from
entering our house. My daughters looked at me as if I was an evil stepmother.
They went back to their rooms, packed up their bags and moved out of the house!
I caught a glimpse of Anna’s triumphant look, and it hit me, ‘Oh my god! She’s
sick. It’s been her diabolical plan to isolate me and my girls. She’s jealous.’
I wondered how many families she had broken up!
I sat there
stunned, trying hard to soak in the harsh reality. Everything seemed so
irrational and illogical. I was not even invited for my children’s weddings .I
was shattered and crushed .The beautiful weddings I had planned for my children
had gone to the wind!
Helpless,
distressed and defeated, I turned to God for refuge. I cried and prayed
incessantly. I clung on to His hands, clutched the hem of His garments tightly,
begging Him not to let go of me. My prayers went unanswered. Why? I heard a
voice inside me saying, ‘You would never question if you had faith and trust’. Yes,
He wanted me to be stronger and wiser with absolute trust and faith in Him! And
slowly but surely, I was molded to be what I was meant to be!
Time flew,
now my limbs are weak, my body frail and I am extra exhausted today. As I sit
sipping my tea, I hear a car pull up on the porch. I continue to sit, feeling
weak to get up. The door bursts open and my children with their kids enter,
holding orchid potted plants in their hands for me. Somehow, I’m not surprised.
It seems natural. It appears like I am expecting them! They rush to me and hug
me saying, “Mom, every day we see you in us as we bring up our children.
Everything we do for our kids, reminds us of all the things you have done for
us. Thank you for loving us .We now understand your unconditional love and
protective care. We are grateful for your prayers.’ They cried and continued,’
‘Last night we had a bad dream. Please mom, never leave us. We want to make up
to you, mom. We love you so, mom.’
I hug my children, my heart rejoicing. I feel
like jumping up in sheer joy! I send a silent prayer to God, ‘Lord, I can never
be happier, I am ready.’ God answers my prayer and I feel myself peacefully and
happily slipping away into oblivion, held lovingly in my children’s arms.
Didn’t I hold them so when they entered this world? Now I’m leaving in their
arms! A blessing indeed, denied to many.
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I’m back! Back to our world! Back to our normal, regular good old chaotic world. Good. But then, where had I been? Maybe, kidnapped to an alien world? No, I was just sort of sucked into a virtual world, a world that had me in its clutches for a year and a half. I was dangerously close to being devoured by this virtual world’s quicksand.
 |
| My villa and crops |
It all started in such a harmless manner. I bought a piece of land in this virtual idyllic world, where I built my own house, my sheep and pig pens, nursery barn, chicken coop, with the help of amazingly wonderful neighbors. I ploughed , sowed the lush virgin soil and harvested bushels of crops, raised chickens , watered the seedlings ever so lovingly and grew them to trees. I even bred polka dotted and star sheep and not to mention the checked and striped pigs. Awesome! I had a stable with a variety of such handsome stallion and mares, that they could put any Arabian horse to shame. I was so very engrossed tending to my farm from morning till midnight , that I shunned my real-time friends and outings. I abandoned my passions like dressing, cooking and writing. But the biggest casualty was my figure. Did I go out of shape? Of course not, I am still in shape! Round is a shape is’nt it? The virtual world to where I was transported is, FARMVILLE- a farming game in Facebook. It ‘s a wonderful ,peaceful and beautiful world where neighbors lived in perfect harmony - ever ready to help you out, the animals and birds were so cute and colourful and to top it all, you could even harvest cupcakes, fruit bars and grow cotton candy trees, bubblegum trees , gem and crystal trees as well. Is’nt it just perfect! The ultimate Eden. Let me hasten to add that I am not giving up on Farmville totally but just spare it a limited time each day!
Returning back to reality, I decided to rehabilitate myself by doing the following:
- Wrote this blog
- Cleared my outdated cosmetics and expired dated cream and lotion jars.
- Emptied my closet of those nightmarish clothes I used to hang around at home while working hard at my farm.
- Enrolled myself at a gym
- Planned a shopping spree over the weekend
My friends and loved ones rejoice that they have found their lost one. Am I a prodigal daughter?
 |
| A corner of my English Country side |
 |
| My fruit-bar crops |
I browse through the stationary shop, feeling the smooth touch of papers. My mind is racing.. shall I pick up the onion skin paper, plain white notepaper or the handmade paper ? No wait! I'll pick up the recycled paper. It makes me feel real good and smug about myself. I've done my bit for the world environment. Why do I need these papers? Because, I have to write! I know I can use the word processor, but then, having a few sheets of exotic paper around is a good idea. You see, I had always wanted to become a writer, right from my college days, never mind that was more than 30 years ago! I still feel like when I was in college, don't I? My mirror can go and crack itself. Its important how you feel and not how you look. Right ? Next I eye the neat array of pens. A writer should have a good pen! All the brands look so shiny and classy. Parker, Sheffield, Waterman , Pelikan , which do I choose? Oh gosh! Shall I pick up the ball pen or fountain pen or just gel. The colors? Flashy red , black? Well, I'll settle for the dignified navy blue. It will suit my image of a serious writer! Then I decide on a dark tan leather file to keep my papers, that odious plastic file is an absolute no no!
I walk back home, already feeling like a writer and pass by an electronic shop. What's that shining like a pearl on the display window? Its a laptop, a white Apple laptop! Yes ,I definitely must have that one. It's so chic and I am to be a chiclit writer, honestly, I am! How can I write without a word processor? A laptop is a must. The laptop that I bought six months earlier, is already a tad ancient and slow with all the spy wares and adwares happily sitting inside the machine. I keep walking , calculating how to pay the bill if I do buy it and of course it hits me! I'll pay it all back from the earnings I make from writing! Good, that's settled!
I reach home and look at my tiny corner. That chair does look uncomfortable! Doesn't it? I'll have to spend hours sitting and writing. Maybe, I'll buy a white leathered cushioned one to match my laptop. With my mind full of calculations, I open my engagement book. Dear me, I do have a party tonight !Oh no, tomorrow there is a baby shower and the next day, my friends are coming over for a girlie weekend .Gosh,I have appointments for this whole month, just like last month and all the months before that. Never mind, relax,I'll start writing from next month. What's the big deal? I have waited 30 years to become a writer, so another month of waiting will do no harm!
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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I’m feeling absolutely and totally uninspired and unable to write! Words just don’t seem to happen. Why is my mind blank? Why am I not getting any ideas? What is this new occurrence I am experiencing? My head feels like a block. Like a block of wood or a block of ice? Perhaps like a block of building? No, this feels different! Moreover, I feel a sort of panic as well.
However, I have heard of a situation where writers have a temporary inability to think and write. Of course, these happen to be my symptoms at this point in time! I’m inept at getting even a single sensible sentence on paper or my word processor. Right now, all that I’m capable of, is to stare at my blank sheet of white paper and my black keyboard! I am at a total loss for words .Yes, that’s it! I have the dreaded Writer’s Block - a writer’s nightmare!
‘If I don't write to empty my mind, I go mad ’- Lord Byron. But dear Lord Byron, my mind is so very empty that I’m going mad because I’m not able to write!
Well, technically, writer’s block happens due to depression, physical illness or even financial pressures. A sense of failure, the pressure to produce work, the end of a relationship may also contribute to a writer's block. In a few cases the stress of living up to a previous big success can also cause writer’s block. A writer and neurologist Alice W. Flaherty has contended that literary creativity is a function of specific areas of the brain, and brain activity being disrupted in those areas can cause the block. Whatever!
Ok then, fine, its time for me, to put into action all those amazing awesome advice I have read about when one is struck by the dreaded block. I’m off for a walk now, to get some fresh air - it oxygenates the brain as well! Then, maybe I’ll do some meditation, watch a cool movie, catch up on my family and friends and basically, take a break! Certainly, tomorrow is another new dawn, another new day, and hopefully new ideas will roll out as words!
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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Has the internet led to a lower level of writing standards? Well, definitely yes. Of course, there is a huge battalion of amazing good professional writers on the internet, but at the same time there are a zillion aspiring writers who have jumped on to the bandwagon of writing, by the opportunities provided by the internet. Ahem..you can consider me, one as well !:) The internet is constantly throwing up new and exciting modes of communication and there seems to be opportunities up for grabs for everyone! Writing for the web and writing for print are poles apart. When writing for the web, the writing standards are often not the highest priority, as the web sites focus more on driving traffic to their sites to either market or promote their advertisements. Furthermore, the web visitors too, just skim through the writings seeking specific information. They do not seem to have the patience to read in detail or be bothered about the writing quality, as long as they hit upon the info they are seeking! Content is all that matters while the traditional writing techniques are totally ignored.
Oh, the joy of reading perfect English with traditional writing techniques on print! Don’t we sit down for hours on end with a book and savor each word and expression and feel the situation and emotions? Then, why is it, when it comes to reading on the web , we just browse through it all,ever so quickly? Maybe, we are in a hurry to go to the next site in the hope of finding better information!
Though we have a wealth of information at our fingertips on the internet, we are also bombarded by people voicing their opinions with incorrect English and spelling errors. Yes, there may be people whose native language is not English ( like me),but then one has to go an extra mile to sound good and write a little aptly .A reader has to be pampered. A reader should be able to relax and enjoy reading. A reader should in no way be under stress to analyze what the article is all about!
Unfortunately, we do see a trend where many non native English language writers ,do not even realize that they are writing in faulty English. Just because they make sentences with a few English words, they deem themselves to be good writers.
Anyway,by following the tips given below, just before publishing whatever on the internet, anyone can write well:
* Make some effort to follow the fundamentals of the English Language.
* Never translate literally from your native language.
* Spell check
* Grammar check
* Learn new words and idioms everyday.
* Use a word processor.
* Ask some one to proof read your article before submission-you will learn a lot like that!
* Have an open mind to accept your mistakes and correct them.
And, finally the most important tip - read and reread what you have written. Reading your writing the next day works wonders in improving it.
‘It's never perfect when I write it down the first time, or the second time, or the fifth time. But it always gets better as I go over it and over it.’-Jane Yolen
In conclusion, never ever think that it is acceptable to just publish whatever! Even if it is for the forums, it should be proper. Thus, by following these simple steps the internet’s writing standards will definitely improve.
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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Are you a writer ? Would you like to expand your experience? Would you love to reach out globally?Well then,if so, online writing is just the right option for you! Or perhaps, you always wanted to be a writer but never did know how to go about becoming one. No worries. There are some sites where you can submit your articles and if you can get paid for it, wouldn’t that be gratifying as well? There are many paid to write sites and there are equal number of scam sites as well. You do have to be so very careful not to waste your time with them. These paid to write sites offer cash and not gift cards or prizes. The writing sites generally have the following methods of payments for the articles submitted.
1) One-time payment sites:
Sites like DailyArticle, Constant Content, Textbroker and Demand Studios make a lump sum payment on per article basis.
2) Upfront payment sites:
In Associated Contents and Helium sites, you may get paid upfront payments as well as ‘click money’. Click money is payment for each time someone clicks on your articles.
3) Passive income sites:
These sites either pay a writer based on the page views an article has generated like Triond Suite101, Shvoong or allow writers to display Google Adsense on their articles and take a cut from the revenue earned like Hubpages and GZYN
4) Specialized writing categories sites:
These sites focus on specific topics. At Letter Rep, you'll find only letter writing assignments, Wisebread focuses on finanical issues, Storymash specializes in works of fiction whereas Ground Report and Newsvine deal only in news articles. Payment schemes varies from site to site.
5) Liaison Sites :
Sites like Guru, Elance, Odesk and Get A FreeLancer are not publishing sites but they connect and liaison between writers and publishers. These sites generally take precautions to safeguard both the writers and as well as the publishers from getting cheated. Payments are always on a one time basis unless a writer is able to strike a sort of private arrangement with a publisher.
6) Scam Sites:
There are sites like Academia-research and Essaywriters.net. which are scams.Poetry.com is another scam site which promise that your winning poems will be included in their forthcoming collections and then go about asking for payment to get them published!
Warning: Stay away from sites if they-
• Ask for money
• Don’t pay up their upfront rates.
• Their websites do not exist
• Want you to do a test assignment
• Don’t spell out their requirements
So then, Good luck and Happy Writing!
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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Blog! It’s the modern version of ‘Dear diary’. Oh, how we hid our diaries from prying eyes and kept it so very private! Well, all that has changed now. The trend now is to let the whole world know what you are doing, what you are thinking, your ideas and opinions on this , that and other about everything! First, you will be intimidated by the fact that your thoughts are out there exhibited to the whole world but then, slowly but surely you do get the hang of it and the obsession to publicize your thoughts becomes overwhelming and you are hooked! ‘Dear diary’ belonged only to you but your blog belongs to the world! There’s more to it. Your blog can earn you money. Well..well.. well. So, the idiom ‘a penny for your thoughts’ is true after all! A decade back, surely if someone had even suggested that dear diary will go so very public,you would have pooh poohed. No soothsayer had prophesied the magnitude of the blog phenomena.
Didn’t we keep a dried pressed leaf or a flower, a card or whatever souvenir in our diary? It was for our eyes only and we did think it made our dear diary so very cute filled with these mementos. Whereas now ,as our blog is for the world to see, pictures and visuals with a dash of audio are added to the blogs to catch the attention of the readers. In the early stages of blogs, they were just textual but then as the blog’s popularity became extensive, the blogs got categorized according to genre and so you have, Artlogs, Sketchblogs , Photoblogs , Vlogs(video blogs), MP3 blogs and audio blogs called Podcasts. Hmm.. Quite a category and genre! To top it all, the obsession to publish one’s thought is so great that it is quite a vogue to write blogs on mobile devices like mobile phones or PDAs and these are known as Moblogs!
‘Publication is a self-invasion of privacy.’ quotes Marshall McLuhan.Oh no,not any longer.The passion to publicize one's thoughts and actions is so great that micro blogging is the fad now! It is about publishing one liners on whatever you are up to! Like Twitter or Tweeting for instance.Do you feel about something? Just publish it. Do you have an opinion about something? Just publish it. Are you doing something? Just publish it .Thus,micro blogging and sharing your thoughts and feelings instantaneously with friends and family and the whole world in general is the flavor of the month!And you do have a variety of categories or genres on the menu list to choose from.Happy blogging! :)
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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Are you tossing and turning to decide on the topic of your blog? Well, it is indeed the very foundation for a successful blog! Have you noticed all those poor blogs lying scattered - dumped or neglected on the blogsphere. Why? It’s because those bloggers had run out of content ideas. Therefore, take some time off and decide on the topic before starting your blog! A successful blog needs time , dedication, hard work and effort. A blog without a plan is a total waste of time. Just follow the tips given below and you will definitely have a successful blog . 1. Choose a topic that you are ardent and dedicated about : Are you in love or passionate about something or anything? Then, pickup that subject! The enthusiasm for your topic would naturally reflect in the sincerity of your writings and will gel with your readers. You will be able to stay motivated for a long time only with a subject you are really interested in. No matter what your topic is, whether it is about cooking, reading, automobiles, gadgets ,news, tips, comments, articles or anything ,as long as you are fervent with the topic, it is sufficient!
2. Select a theme you can write a lot about:
There are already so many bloggers out there on the web! And you do have to attract readers, right? So,choose a theme where there is scope for expanding ,besides, you will be writing for global viewers. You should be able to update your topic regularly to keep your content fresh.
3 Pick a topic you would like to discuss and debate with others:
You should be able to discuss and debate your topic with your readers, as successful blogs are all about enjoying discussions from various viewpoints and perceptions!
4 Decide on a topic you enjoy exploring:
To keep your blog's content interesting and relevant to readers you should be able to offer the latest trends in your topic. You would have to do a bit of digging for the latest news and moreover, if the topic is after your heart, you will love all the digging, plowing and shoveling!
Chew over your subject and your topic wisely before you take the plunge!
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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Most definitely YES! Blogs are the ‘in’ thing and if you don’t have a blog ,you are not cool! Since blogs are like personal diaries you should most certainly have a blog to share your experiences and your wealth of info with others! Remember that , as long as you have something interesting to say, there will be a large number of people on the internet who will not mind reading it. In fact they may even want to! You can write about anything –your life, your opinions, about someone you admire, any news you found interesting, your political commentary, or links to web sites you liked - just anything as along as it is interesting. If you are a marketing expert, you can start a blog about marketing . Some professional and amateur journalists dominate a large chunk of worldwide audiences by using blogs to publish breaking news, political debates and so on. You can post photos that you would like to share as well.
‘The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.’ ~Norbet Platt
Apart from this you get the chance to meet like-minded people over the internet, have a sense of purpose, build your self confidence and of course it does wonders to your Brainpower!:)
What should you do before you start a blog? Well..browse around, sniff around a little, looking at other blogs to have an idea about blogs. If, you are a beginner, like me, I would not recommend you to look around too much, as you may be disheartened seeing all those awesome, amazing and incredible blogs . Decide on a theme - chew over your subject and your topic wisely.
Now the final step! Just get started! You will understand more and all about blogging when you try it out! Yes, that’s what I did. I just started and I got the hang of it! It’s real cool! I would suggest - start a blog to become skilled at blogging!
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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Dear writer-in-you, Come on now, wake up! Your slumber has been a long one! Have you forgotten that ‘the pen is mightier than the sword?’ It’s time to pick up your pen! The writer in you is just waiting to happen! Yes, your hands must surely have become stiff and rigid from not writing. It’s OK. It’s never too late to start writing! All that you need is a few warm up exercises and you are all geared up for action! Ready, start! Stretch out your hands and fold them -3 times. Open and close your fists-5 times. Can you hear your knuckles crack and groan? Good. Now you are set to get into the act! Pick up your pen or your word processor and do the following exercises: 1. Look around you carefully. Absorb in your surroundings! Now put your pen to paper or your fingers to your keyboard and describe all about your surrounding!
2. Next, close your eyes. Think about a happy moment which still makes your heart miss a beat. Open your eyes and explain that feeling.
3. Now, look deep into your soul. Do you feel a hurt? A pain? A helplessness? A time when you thought your world around you crashed! Well, look up and put that sad feeling in writing.
4. Admire the flowers in your garden. Does your mind get filled with ideas about how to decorate them ? Well, dash off something about how to go about doing it.
Excellent! Your warm up writing exercises are done. Don’t you feel the writer in you utterly and totally awake? Do you feel the ideas rushing to your head? Aren’t you full of pep and enthusiasm? Don’t you feel like changing the world with your pen? Well, then, welcome to the world of writing! You are a writer in the making! Just go for it!
'If you want to be successful, know what you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are doing.' — Will Rogers
Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved
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It was love at first sight.. for me! You see, you are never old to fall in love! My new love happened after my children left home. How did it happen? Well, one day, I had gone shopping. Psst..I am a shopoholic. Suddenly my eyes fell on a elegant sleek silhouette against the soft beam of light .I was mesmerized by the sleek silhouette. I just could not peel my eyes off that silhouette. Here I was openly ogling first and then literally drooling! I am unaware of the eyes around me. I have this urge to touch and feel! Shall I? Shall I not? Then I say to myself, Why not? I take a step forward. The silhouette stood ground. Another step and another step and I was near.With eyes full of admiration I whisper unabashed,’ Come on..I’m taking you home..to my bedroom!’ I turn around to see many expectant amused eyes, but I say in a loud voice, ‘Yes.. I’m taking..this model .Send this home please!’ Thus my brand new computer arrived home to me! :) I was totally besotted and proud to finally own my own personal computer! I went on and on about how cool my computer was, and how much fun I was going to have using it!
Now, the next step! Its never too late to learn! Do not be intimidated by the technology and never ever think that you will ever be any good at computers because you didn't grow up with them! Just have fun playing around your computer and before you realize it ,you would have learnt the basics all by yourself. All that you need is some patience and you will learn by trial and error.Having fun playing around your computer ,will make it all the more easy for you to learn. The real reason why many people find it difficult to learn all about computers is actually very simple- it's their mental attitude!But then, they do have control over their attitude isn’t it? Now, surely, you do have the right mental attitude, don’t you? Well, so then, welcome to the world of technology! :)
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