BookBlogWriMo – Days Seven, Eight, Nine

BookBlogWriMo.  Book Blog Writing Month.  Created by “Book Bumblings” as a book bloggers’ version of NaNoWriMo.  I found it through “Shattered Hearts Reviews“.

Day Seven – WayBack Machine

The earliest instance that the WayBack Machine (web.archive.org/web/) has of this blog is from 1 June 2011, about a year after I started it.  Not a big deal since you can see from the image to the right of by clicking the link to the archive page that the look hasn’t changed.  I preview new themes now and again, but always end up leaving it as is.  This layout/theme works for what I want to present.

Day Eight – My Blogging Toolkit

I have a fairly small, but effective toolbox:

• WordPress, which is the host for my blogs, and its associated mobile app.  I have also used Blogger and its app.
• I rely heavily on Evernote, which I mentioned in a previous post in BookBlogWriMo. It’s a great tool for drafting up posts and jotting down ideas on the go.
• Adobe Photoshop for manipulating graphics, when I use them
• A number of writing prompt sites for inspiration:
  • Flashy Fiction Friday
  • Poetic Asides
  • Creative Bloomings
  • The Writer
• A couple other sites that are of use:
  • Wikipedia helps check facts
  • Google is a great tool for a quick spelling or definition check. Often, I don’t even have to click any of the links that come up in the search results.

Day Nine – My Blogging Workflow

Workflow.  Hmmm…that implies process.  Of which I don’t really have one.  The closest thing I have is “copy a post” from one I previously used to get a quick template for the new post.  Sometimes I sit down and blast out a post in one sitting, but more often, I open a post multiple times, editing a bit here, adding a bit there, until I post it hours or days (or months) later.

 

 

Poem: Two out of three ain’t bad?

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2014 April PAD Challenge: Day 21, 21 Apr 2014, topic:  back to basic

(form: cinquain)

Two out of three ain’t bad?

I try,
and fail, daily,
to get back to basics.
Reading? Math? Yes, but often fail
to write.

(original)

I try,
and fail, daily,
to get back to basics.
Always get to read. Often fail
to write

**I liked the flow of my original better, but I really liked the title.  Yes, I’m a Meat Loaf fan.  Also, it fit the fact that math is part of everyday life, as well as reading, but I frequently find myself not having written anything…nothing creative, anyway.  So Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic…the basics, the building blocks of education.  I get two out of the three, but wasn’t sure if it was obvious enough in the original poem what the basics were, so I made it more explicit in the revised version I submitted to the Poetic Asides PAD.  If you’re so inclined, drop me a note about which version you prefer and why.  Thanks.

Poem: It’s not so pop to me

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2014 April PAD Challenge: Day 17, 17 Apr 2014, topic:  pop culture

(form: trio of shadormas)

It’s not so pop to me

Pop culture
is mostly boring
me since the
eighties passed.
Inane and uncreative,
I find most of it.

Rehashings
of the past cultures
with new paint,
more smutty.
Celebs and regular folk
all facaded up.

Or maybe
I graduated
from high school
to adult,
cynical and unimpressed
with what’s popular.

 

**This is a slight tweak from the poem I submitted to the PAD Challenge.  I changed the fourth line of the second Shadorma from “and fake parts.” to what you see above.  It better reflects another aspect of what I find less appealing in today’s pop culture.

Poem: Finished, Yet Not

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2013 April PAD Challenge: Day 30, 30 Apr 2013, topic:  finished poem and/or never finished poem

 

(form: Fibonacci)

Finished, Yet Not

When
one
puts words
to page, the
flow may be a wee
trickle or a mighty gusher.
It may take minutes or days, or longer still, before
the author is happy enough
to share the work, while
knowing it’s
never
quite
done.

Poem: Perfectly Cast as Wife, Mother

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2013 April PAD Challenge: Day 26, 26 Apr 2013, topic:  casting

(form: shadorma)

Perfectly Cast as Wife, Mother

Fifteen years
ago I thought you

were perfect

as my wife,

but you’re even better in

your role as mother.

Poem: The Daily Commute

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2013 April PAD Challenge: Day 24, 24 Apr 2013, topic:  auto

(form: shadorma)

The Daily Commute

Jackwagons

to the left of me

Jackwagons

to the right

When cars have autopilot

will it be better?

Poem: I am a Jelly Doughnut

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2013 April PAD Challenge: Day 18, 18 Apr 2013, topic:  “I am <blank>”

(form: shadorma)

I am a Jelly Doughnut

When giving
speeches in foreign
languages,
ask locals
to help make sure you don’t claim
you’re ein berliner.

Poem: Love Is Sneaky

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2013 April PAD Challenge: Day 23, 23 Apr 2013, topic:  love poem and/or anti-love poem

 

Love Is Sneaky

Love is a sneaky bastard.
He creeps in while you aren’t looking
bops you over the head
and throws chains around your heart.
All you can do is hope
he’s as successful on your beloved.

Poem: Rug Burns

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2013 April PAD Challenge: Day 19, 19 Apr 2013, topic:  burn

(form: cinquain)

Rug Burns

after
an evening of
wrestling on the carpet
I get odd looks at work over
rug burns

Poems: Decline and Fall & The Impossible Dream

Poem created in response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2013 April PAD Challenge: Day 16, 16 Apr 2013, topic:  possible poem and/or impossible poem

 

(form: lune)

Decline and Fall

Ever possible
Ancient Rome
my country’s future

 

(form: fibonacci)

The Impossible Dream

the
way
to make
sure a dream
is impossible
is to choose not to follow it