Monthly Archives: May 2018

Reporting on Twitter – The Death of Journalism

Since when did covering Twitter amount to reporting? “Ivanka Trump is facing an online backlash for tweeting what one critic called a ‘tone deaf’ photo of herself cuddling her son as outrage grows over a federal government policy to separate … Continue reading

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Making Copy Move. If You Have The Time.

In my work I edit the writing of several people. I respect their efforts and acknowledge that they work under deadline pressure. In a similar vein, I find it amazing how good most daily newspaper writers are, considering they have … Continue reading

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My Camp Cady Wildlife Area Article Will Be Out Soon

My Camp Cady Wildlife article for Outdoor California (external link) will be out soon. Here’s a sidebar they didn’t use and photographs that weren’t selected. The Camp Cady Wildlife Area, operated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, is … Continue reading

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Is Writer’s Block Limited to Fiction? And What Can be Done About it?

“Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work, or experiences a creative slowdown. The condition ranges in difficulty from coming up with original ideas to being unable to … Continue reading

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I Got A Rock

January 2, 2023 Update: I dropped this course. Uncooperative professor, poorly edited textbook, inherently flawed way of teaching. Really, there is no way to do labs except in person. But the page below describes the main problem — a terrible … Continue reading

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Book Contract Signed — Now, to The Writing

I’ve just signed a contract with ——–CONTRACT CANCELLED——-  The working title is “A Beginner’s Guide to Rockhounding and Prospecting in the Southwest.” Just what makes up the  Southwestern United States is difficult to say. There are no agreed boundaries for … Continue reading

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Breaking News — I’ve Been Offered a Book Contract!

Details to follow. I am reviewing the contract offered and developing a list of questions. After the royalties are negotiated, I want to ask about working details. How the MS should be formatted, photograph requirements, map and diagram preparation and … Continue reading

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Describing The Elephant: Part 4 (Conclusion)

<—— continued from here I moved back with my parents for a year. My Dad was a doctor and he put me in touch with the best psychologists and psychiatrists. None helped. They thought my experience closely resembled post-traumatic stress … Continue reading

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A Bot’s Answer to Pretentious Artist Statements

July 15, 2022 Update: Broken link to the generator should be working now. Apologies. Webmasters! Let me know when you change your URL’s, okay? The online Oxford Living Dictionaries defines bollocks in this way: Plural Noun British vulgar slang 1. … Continue reading

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Describing The Elephant: Part 3

<—— continued from here <——-Start of essay The days after were, of course, mournful. Jim had left a wife and two teenage children. I can’t imagine what they felt. John and his wife found out from Rebecca about my experience … Continue reading

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