Any writer would do well to reflect on those in the past who had a part in molding his or her understanding of the written word. After all, without teachers, where would any of us be? So today I wish to honor a special lady who made a tireless impact on a multitude of Michigan students in her English classes for forty-four years. When I look back at my youth and reflect on those who especially encouraged my early interest in being a writer, after my parents the next major influence was Delores Forsmark, who went home to be with the Lord on September 9th. I felt so sad when I heard the news, and then memories took over from there. “Mrs. Forsmark” taught me English and literature at Genesee Christian High School in Burton, Michigan, between 1983 and 1987 (she taught at GCS a total of twenty-two years). But that’s not…
I get this question a lot. “Hey, I heard you edit books from home. I’m really good at seeing typos in restaurant menus. How can I do your sort of job?” Yikes. That’s like asking somebody who knows how to change a flat tire to change a carburetor. There’s a lot more to making a living as an editor than being able to spot typos in menus, though that skill is commendable. The fact is, not just anybody can do this job, just like not everybody can listen to your heart and tell you whether you need heart surgery. So let me break down what being an editor means and what type of education and experience are expected to make a living at this. 1. To be taken seriously and be effective in the trenches, let’s get to the foundation—you need to be really good at English. Ugh, English? Yes,…
I did it! I can now make long-distance phone calls to anyone in the US and Canada. Absolutely free! And I’m using a telephone to do it. Back in August I wrote about my new venture in pursuing free telephone service, thanks to the suggestion of a Facebook friend I’ve known since college (I won’t say how long ago). I was already aware of how to make and receive free phone calls using Google Voice, but I had to place calls from my computer. Now there’s a way to make a Google Voice call using a telephone instead of your computer—and that’s what I’m writing about today (and introduced in part 1). Here’s information about what you need and what you need to do as well as an update on what I’ve done so far on my journey to attain phone independence. Setting yourself up for free phone service is simple…
I had just bought the utility knife from Home Depot. It was brand-new and razor sharp. Combine that with my inexperience with cutting old carpet from an even older flight of stairs, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Always cut away from your body, never toward it, I’d been told. Especially with a knife that’s that sharp. But I forgot. Or wasn’t listening, as sometimes the case may be. The accident happened in a flash. It was so quick, I’m not even sure how I did it. But the cut on the side of my hand was deep, the wound resembling two lips with plenty of blood oozing in between. The cut didn’t even hurt, but I instantly knew this was no Band-Aid-variety wound. Light-headedness prompted by the shock of what I’d just done descended on me for a few minutes. “I’m so sorry,” I said to Kim, my…
