Making It del.icio.us

Today is an inspiration-free day, so I’ve finally done something I’ve been meaning to do for a while. Here are the pages and resources I’ve tagged on del.icio.us. Let me know if you find anything useful.

On Getting Older

Today is my birthday. I’m 41. In the last week I’ve had many occasions to reflect on the ageing process. My body never snapped all the way back from having my daughter at 37 and I’m much more injury prone than I used to be.

The non-snapping back syndrome has come to the forefront again this week as, in the space of seven days, I recovered from a hurt ankle, had a nearly frozen shoulder which left me in agony for two days and an eye infection that came out of nowhere. Sport is getting increasingly hazardous and I seem to have just as much downtime as uptime. I carry on anyway because I like it and because I can’t give in to the idea that I’m too old for anything – not yet, anyway.

At the same time, I’ve been getting in touch with the child in me through my daughter, who has new experiences daily and is amazed by them all. At those times, I realise that I’m not as old as my body feels. Somewhere within me – and not as deep as you might think – is the child who laughed at rude noises, who enjoyed playing with trains, cars and dolls’ hair, and who loved changing the words to songs. This week my daughter and I have been belting out the final chorus to ‘Jelly on a Plate’ with real gusto. Her other favourite is Sailor’s ‘Let’s Go To Town’.

Back in the real world, I feel my freelance writing career is starting to take off. I’ve had two paid commissions in January and have two other opportunities that are likely to provide longer term income.

Best of all, I had lots of lovely presents this morning, including a spa day and a book I really wanted that my daughter picked because she liked the colours. I’m very lucky. I hope today is as good for you as it is for me.

Butterfly

Butterfly (for Lisa)

When you crawl into your hole
It’s not to hide
But a necessary part
Of your becoming.
Not every transformation
Takes place
In the pitiless glare
Of others’ expectations.
Rest and contemplation
May also feed
That creative spirit
To force the radiant colours
Out of that caterpillar’s
Cocoon.

© Sharon Hurley Hall

Bloggers: This One’s For You

I signed up yesterday with Community Fund Spot. This is a pixel advertising site geared to helping non-profits maximise their visibility. The site is run by Trey Treeful and here’s what Trey has to say about it:

In addition to donating approximately 50% of the site’s proceeds to nonprofits CommunityFundSpot is creating grants for students, writers, and volunteers. I am a member of all three communities and am passionate about the role these communities play in making the world a better place.

Trey is also giving money away to bloggers. Here’s why:

There are a great many blogs on the Internet that are well-written, informative, and authored by people who are working to make the world a better place. … As a member of the WritingUp community I have read many blogs by writers who are trying to make a living writing or who want to work from home. Giving money to bloggers is my way of giving back to a community that has given me so much. I know what it’s like to be a writer trying to make a living through your writing, and Google Adsense just doesn’t get the bills paid for most bloggers.

Sounds good to me. I paid for my pixel ad yesterday, and I’ll be keeping you up to date on the progress of Community Fund Spot. Happy blogging!

New Articles and Resources

I’ve been at it again. Updating my site, I mean. Today I’ve added a new article on why freelance writers should be on the web. I’ve also added banners and links to two new resources I’m promoting. One of these is an article marketing guide. I’ve used article marketing quite a bit in promoting my writing business and I know it works, so I recommend you give Chris Knight’s suggestions a try.

The other tool is Article Marketer, which gets your articles in front of 3,000+ people for FREE! I’ve used it and my articles are everywhere! Check it out!

No Animals Were Harmed …

Remember when a trip to the circus involved lions, tigers, elephants, bears and dogs? Well, not any more. These days we’re more aware of animal rights and the harm that can be done to animals who are bullied and beaten into performing for our enjoyment. About a year ago, I took my two year old to a circus that claimed to be animal friendly. Well, it may have been better than the bad old days (not a whip cracked in view of the audience) but the animals still looked very, very sad. We were invited to see the animals afterwards and there were four huge tigers and two cubs in a very small space, all looking terribly melancholy. After that trip, I decided not to go to the circus again. But I’ve changed my mind – and do you know why? The Moscow State Circus is in town – and there’s not an animal in sight. Instead, we’ll be treated to clowns, tightrope walks and amazing acrobatics. I can’t wait – and I’ll be able to sleep tonight without dreaming about sad, caged animals.

Caribbean Magic

There are two sights that make flying through the Caribbean a magical experience. The first is the view of bejewelled, white capped waves far below, swishing through the deep blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. If you look closely – or even squint a bit – you might spot someone on jetskis, or a boat as it dashes from one coral-encrusted rock to the other. The sea is dotted with tiny islands, and from the sky all you can see are deep browns and greens that are very inviting.

For me, though, the more magical sight is the towering cumulus clouds which populate the bright blue sky. Some look so fluffy that you’re almost tempted to rest your head on them, and it’s only when you fly through them that you realise they’re less solid than they seem.

These were the sights that made my first plane flight, at the age of four, such an unforgettable experience. We were travelling from Jamaica to Trinidad, and I can still remember my excitement as we reached the airport, checked in and boarded the plane. It was a feeling that would persist for many years and the sight of the clouds and the Caribbean Sea made it all the more vivid.

All about articles

I don’t promote many affiliate products but when I believe in something and have used it, I don’t see why I shouldn’t tell everyone else. That’s why I’ve signed up as an affiliate for EzineArticles and ArticleMarketer this week. Both of these sites were key in my bid to put my site on steroids and get my name and site listed in Google.

ArticleMarketer is exactly what it says on the tin – a service that distributes your free to reprint articles. There are three levels of service and the basic one is free. That’s the one I’ve used for the last six months. EzineArticles is perhaps the best known article directory (and has a high pagerank, if you’re interested). One week after signing up with them, my name appeared on Google. ‘Nuff said.

This week on WritingUp

Here’s what I’ve been blogging about on the other side:

How To Make An Editor Love You

There are three ways to make an editor love you:

Blogging As Portfolio

If you’re a freelance writer, a blog can be just as useful as your own website.

Do You Give Good Headline?

A good headline is the difference between catching someone’s attention and losing it forever.

Breaking Up Ain’t Hard To Do

Endings should not just be left to happen

Writing And Blogging: Beyond The Wall

Writer’s block has struck and you’re being outstared by a blank screen. What do you do? Where do you turn for inspiration? The answer may be closer than you think.

The Lowest Of The Low

My personal Hall of Shame

Free Will – Do We Really Have It?

I’ve been reading this post over on WritingUp, which got me to thinking about whether we have the freedom to choose our own destiny or whether it’s all preordained. Here’s what I think:

There are things that I control and there are other things beyond my control. I have to make choices regarding the things I control, and in that sense I make my own plan. Isn’t that part of what free will is all about? When something beyond my control takes a hand, then I change the plan.

Change always starts at home. I don’t think there’s much point in sitting around waiting for things to happen. You have to do something to achieve whatever you want to achieve. I think you also have to tell yourself the truth about why you might not be achieving a particular goal. For myself, I know that the power to achieve it usually lies with me. This doesn’t mean I don’t need help, just that I need to be prepared to help myself and take responsibility for my actions.

You can follow the whole discussion here.