NaPloBoMo: Ohio Isn't So Bad

Frisbee Golf Course at Mt. Airy in Cincinnati, Ohio

I know it's early in NaBloPoMo, but I'm kind of giving up on the site's prompts.  Today's is: Can you listen to music and write?  What song did you hear today?

Instead, I'd like to talk about Ohio.

On my flights to and from Boise last week, each seat mate initiated the typical conversation:

"So, where're you headed?"
"Boise."
"The blue field, huh?  Is that where you're from?"
"I'm from there, but I live in Cincinnati."
"Oh, that's nice.  Cincinnati is a nice place."
"Eh.  It's okay."
"Just okay?"
"Yeah, just okay.  You know, it's no Boise."

At this point in the conversation, the person sitting next to me usually paused, thinking quietly.  I could almost see the thoughts floating around, reasons why Ohio, Cincinnati in particular, is a very nice place to live.  And, sure enough, everyone did their best to convince me of its livability and general goodness.

No one could really understand my blasé attitude toward the Midwest and Ohio.  I mean, it's fine.  Livable, even.  Maybe even a little pleasant.

But it's no Boise, Ho Chi Minh City, or Bangkok.  And yes, I did just compare Boise to two Southeast Asian cities.

Here's the deal: Ohio isn't so bad.  Or at least my little sliver of Ohio isn't.

A few examples: 

• Last weekend, my husband and I had a very enjoyable frisbee golf game in a national park.  This park is actually a beautiful, hilly, wooded area, and it's just 15 minutes our apartment.
• Day before yesterday, I had a nice five-mile run up and down steep hills, part of which was along a beautiful tree-covered road.  
• Midwesterners are generally nice people, and they are very welcoming to outsiders.
• I have yet to see or hear about someone seeing a dead body.

Okay, so the last one is a little bit of a stretch, but my main point is that Cincinnati is relatively safe.  It's not Boise safe, but it's definitely a lot safer than some of the places I've lived.

Seeing as I have to live here for another two or so years, I'm going to try to keep growing this list.  I'm going to try to stop thinking about all of the fabulous places my husband and I could be living and really try to appreciate the place we're living now.

Ohio isn't so bad...and perhaps I'll eventually even think it's a nice place to live.

NaBloPoMo: Why the Truth Matters

Today's blog prompt on NaBloPoMo is just silly: If you knew that whatever you ate next would be your last meal, what would you want it to be?  So, today, I'm picking my own topic: Why the Truth Matters

I started out my morning watching a video from TED.com entitled, "How to Spot a Liar".  

The stats were a little disheartening, though.  I like to think that most of the people that I meet or talk to on a day-to-day basis are honest people.  I like to think that I'm not being lied to up to 200 times a day (stat according to the video).  I like to think that our society has more integrity than that.

Ever since I was a teenager, I've had trouble spotting a liar.  I don't know if this is because I am too trusting or just plain stupid to the fact that people don't always tell the truth.  In fact, I'm so bad at this that I've had certain relationships where I've been lied to for years...only to be utterly shocked when the truth finally comes out.  There have been times where my naivety has had devastating consequences to me and the people around me.

So, what's the solution?  Do I abandon all trust and scrutinize strangers, friends, family, and even my own husband?

In the video, Pamela Meyer claims that a lie requires two people: one person to tell the lie and another person to accept it.  Is this true?  Are we participating in the lie by believing it?  Should we constantly be trying to "spot a liar" in our conversations with strangers, business acquaintances, and friends?

And while I'm not altogether proud of the fact that I'm easy to lie to, I kind of hope it doesn't change.  I like to be trusting of people, and I like to believe that, as Anne Frank put it, "Despite everything ... people are really good at heart."

Yes, I think that's about right: people are good, and I hope I always have that outlook.

NaBloPoMo: What is your favourite part about writing?

Image source: http://www.blogher.com

Since I'm too busy to participate in NaNoWriMo, I'm going to join in the November blogging fun with NaBloPoMo.  This means that, each day, I'll read and respond to one of the writing prompts on the NaBloPoMo site.

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Today's prompt: What is your favourite part about writing?

I fell in love with writing when I was in second grade.  That year, I participated in a statewide poetry contest, and I was just sure that my poem would win.  It went something like this:

Mountains stand so very high
Way above the trees
They stand so high
They touch the sky
Now that's hard to believe 

They're blue with white
Right on the top
A very pretty view
God made those pretty mountains
From Him to me and you

Being the budding artist that I was, this poem was written on top of a colored pencil drawing of mountains (purple mountains, of course).  I handed in the poem proudly, my name neatly printed below the title, sure that I would win first prize.

For weeks, I waited in anticipation of the results.  Finally, my teacher announced that the results were in, and that she would announce the winner late that day.  I waited impatiently, glancing nervously at my teacher, wondering when she would finally tell us who won.

Finally, the time came.  My teacher stood in front of the class and cleared her throat.  She looked at a piece of paper in her hands and announced the third place winner, a name I didn't recognize.  Then, I heard my name: second place.  Finally, I heard my best friend's name: first place.

Yeah, I was disappointed that I didn't win.  But then again, I'd placed in a statewide poetry contest.  In my little second grade brain, it was like winning a silver medal in the Olympics.

That day of failure is the day I started to love writing.  Since then, I've had a fondness for the written word, a respect for the impact that language has on our lives.

I realize that I deviated a bit from the prompt, but that's okay.  That's my "favourite" part about writing: it takes you where it will, and you must be willing to go along for the ride.

Dream Are Only Dreams (...Until They're Not Anymore)

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of being a featured speaker at the Idaho Book Extravaganza.  And while I went there excited to be a part of the event, meet writers and editors, and talk to the community, I left with something more: a deeper appreciation for what accomplishing a goal can mean to a person.

As I met person after person, and heard about their manuscripts and goals, I couldn't help but feel moved.  Here were people who were taking a step toward accomplishing something they'd always wanted to do, people who were brave enough to approach me and tell me their stories.  I noticed how their expressions would change when they started talking about their manuscripts, and I could see that many people were revisiting dreams they'd almost given up on, dreams that are still very, very present.

As I reflected on my many conversations, I couldn't help but wonder: What is it that causes us to move in the opposite direction of our dreams?  Why do we put that half-written manuscript inside a desk that sits in a room no one uses?  Why are we so afraid to talk about the things we desire?

Of course, not everyone wants to write a book.  Other people have different dreams: climbing a summit, backpacking through Europe, doing a triathlon.  But it's not really the type of dream that matters, is it?  The question still remains: Why don't we spend every waking moment moving in the direction of our dreams?  What is it about success that is just so terrifying?

When I was in long distance track in high school, my coach once said to me, "When you run, keep your eyes on the back of the person in front of you.  You naturally move toward the thing you're looking at."

And so it is with goals.  The more we read, talk, think, and write about our dreams, the more likely we are to accomplish them.  We must keep our eyes always forward and our bodies always moving in the direction of our dreams.

After all, if we are always looking forward in anticipation of the prize, aren't we naturally more likely to become victorious?

Oh, You Silly Chicago Manual of Style Editor

I found this hilarious Q & A buried in the archives of the Chicago Manual of Style online:

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Q. About two spaces after a period. As a US Marine, I know that what’s right is right and you are wrong. I declare it once and for all aesthetically more appealing to have two spaces after a period. If you refuse to alter your bullheadedness, I will petition the commandant to allow me to take one Marine detail to conquer your organization and impose my rule. Thou shalt place two spaces after a period. Period. Semper Fidelis.

A. As a US Marine, you’re probably an expert at something, but I’m afraid it’s not this. Status quo.

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I'm a diehard two spacer.  Abusus non tollit usum.

Hello, Boise!

I love being home.  Boise is one of the nicest cities I’ve ever been in, and the reasons are pretty clear: it’s clean and safe, people are nice, traffic is minimal, and the city is lovely.  On top of all of that is Bronco spirit, which really seems to permeate everything in the city.  There’s a general sense of goodwill and overall awesomeness.  But, shhhhh…don’t tell too many people.  I like Boise how it is, thank you very much.

Good for you, you’re likely thinking.  So?

Well, you’ll have to excuse me.  I’m going home for a few days, and I’m excited.

In fact, I’m aboard a plane right now, writing this post from 20,000 feet high.  (Or maybe it’s 10,000 feet.  I really don’t know anything about airplanes.)  I just finished some editing, reviewed my presentation for this Friday, and now I’m putting fingers to keys to write about my excitement.

Presentation, you ask?  Oh, yes…that’s the reason I’m heading home.  This weekend is the Idaho Book Extravaganza, and I’ll be leading a workshop entitled, “Write Your Best Book: The Writing and Editing Process” on Friday, October 28^th at 12:00 p.m. at the Boise Center on the Grove.

The class will touch on the writing process and the four main types of editing, but the main concept is on how a strong focus on editing can strengthen a manuscript and save time and money during the writing process.  I’ve prepared several handouts, including a checklist to help determine what kind of editing is needed for a manuscript, a manuscript review form, and tips for hiring an editor.  The workshop will teach the lingo needed to communicate with editors, including what to discuss and the kinds of things that should be written up in an agreement or contact.

It’s going to be a great class.

And while I’m a little biased about how awesomely informative my workshop will be, there are some other amazing workshops going on over the two days.  But don’t take my word for it, check the website out for yourself.  I hope to see you there—or perhaps we’ll see each other on the lovely streets of Boise, smiling in that friendly, Northwesterner sort of way.

Goodbye, Steve Jobs...For Real, This Time

Image Source: http://www.globalnerdy.com

When Steve Jobs resigned from Apple, I wrote a blog about his departure.  Yet, it's taken me a few days to write after his death.  I'm not sure why that is, but I think maybe I needed to process what losing someone like Steve Jobs means for our technological future.


Steve Jobs was the foremost inventor of our time.  He did more for computing and technological creativity than anyone, ever.  His vision, commitment to ingenuity and perfection, and willingness to think big has forever shaped, well, everything.


Many of us have listened to Jobs's commencement address at Stanford University.  And while all the talk about death in the address seems rather pertinent with his recent passing, I think this speech is a beautiful way to remember him -- wise, motivated, accepting nothing less than perfection.  Here's a favorite quote of mine from his talk:

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

And, his final advice really spoke to me: Stay foolish.  Stay hungry.


Thanks, Steve.  I will.