Why your book should be offered as an e-book
A lot of people ask me, why would anyone buy an e-book (or ebook)? Of course, most of those who ask have plenty of storage space for books. Or, they simply like the idea of holding a book in their hands and flipping through the pages. For those of you unfamiliar with the term e-book, it simply means an electronic copy of a book.
I’ll admit that I’m fond of old-fashioned reading, but as an RVer who likes to have plenty of reading material with me when I travel, I can’t carry that many books. So the ones that I read, then don’t care to read again, I leave at RV parks, usually in the laundry room, for the next reader. I’ve also picked up some of the best books I’ve read there—you know the out-of-print titles that you can’t find at bookstores anymore, and they’ve been removed from library shelves. There were several years during my adult life where I simply didn’t have time to read, and now I’m trying to catch up on some of the good books I missed.
Electronic books are quickly gaining favor as the new way to purchase and read books. Once you find what you like at an online bookstore, you can download it immediately, usually for a lower price than a bound copy, and there’s no wait for the book to arrive in the mail and no shipping fees.
This is perfect for RVers, who can download e-books to the computer and read them on screen, or they can be downloaded onto electronic readers and carried to read while waiting in the doctor’s office or for car repairs, etc. These little readers are still quite expensive, but they usually hold multiple books. And prices will surely come down as more and more buyers seek them out. Think of the space they will save—six books in an electronic gizmo smaller than a paperback.
E-books can also be saved on a CD, which stores in way less space than a book, and you can squeeze several e-books onto each shiny disk.
E-books seem to have found a place in today’s society, but I still enjoying having hard copies of anything I’m going to read over and over because I like to highlight special passages. I suppose I could do the same on a computer copy of a book, but there’s just something about being able to manually flip to a page and read it again.
POD publishers like Booklocker have found, after several years of offering books this way, that more non-fiction books sell as e-books. And I’ve found it’s true for my books. Portable Writing has sold many more copies as e-books than as hard copies. It remains to be seen which way will win the most sales of Looking Back. So far, it has sold more as hard copies, but I suspect that a lot of buyers have been shopping for gifts for their friends and family. One buyer even wrote to tell me she bought 12 copies for Christmas gifts. Fiction books still sell better in hard copy for some reason.
And what's to keep your work from being stolen off the Internet? There’s always the chance that someone will purchase and download a copy of a book, then illegally copy and distribute it themselves. That violates copyright laws, and violators almost always get caught since it is so easy to type in a book title and search the Web, where you’ll discover all the places that your book is offered—legal or not.
For those who are thinking about getting their first book published, e-books can be self-published very easily. Just format yours as a PDF file and offer it for sale on your own Web site or blog. If you want to write a family memoir, this may be the perfect way to distribute it since there are no printing or mailing costs involved. E-books are definitely here to stay.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
How to Avoid Procrastination and Stay on Track
I would love to say that I never procrastinate, but that would be absolutely untrue. I can put things off as easily as anyone. But I have found a way to avoid procrastination, and it’s called a schedule. Yes, you read that right. A schedule—in the form of a to-do list. There’s the long-term goal list, and from it I make a daily to-do list.
I sit down the night before and make out the to-do list so I can start right in on it the next morning. I list the major tasks I want to complete the next day, then I assign a time allotment to each task. Say I need to do a particular type of marketing, such as getting on the Internet and locating newspapers to contact with press releases. And I also want to work on an article for a particular publication, or write something for one of my blogs. I put all the things I feel are necessary to get done right away on my to-do list.
Next morning when I wake up, I don’t have to sit down and try to figure out what should be done first. It’s written down in black and white. I find it is so much easier to follow a script for the day than try to figure it out after breakfast, when it might be tempting to just goof off.
I could never have written three books, scores of articles, and worked for businesses without some sort of schedule to keep me on track, so my daily to-do list is an absolute necessity.
Then there are those days when I don’t really want to avoid procrastination. Sometimes it is simply too tempting to ignore the schedule and go play. For instance, the weather is beautiful and I don’t have a looming deadline, so I take the day off and do whatever I want. But when I seriously need to achieve certain goals and meet a deadline, I can look at my to-do list and begin checking off the items, one-by-one, as I finish them.
By the way, you can make up “To-Do” forms on your computer and store them there, or print them out and fill them in each night. I like a printed form that I can hold in my hand, so I can clip completed forms together and save them. Then, at the end of a year, I can look back and see how much has been accomplished. There’s something really rewarding and inspiring about seeing a stack of to-do lists with every item on them checked off.
Succeeding at writing and avoiding procrastination isn’t rocket science. It simply involves deciding what you want to achieve, then scheduling the steps necessary to reach your goals. Or as I was taught many years ago: “plan your work, then work your plan.” It really is that easy.
I would love to say that I never procrastinate, but that would be absolutely untrue. I can put things off as easily as anyone. But I have found a way to avoid procrastination, and it’s called a schedule. Yes, you read that right. A schedule—in the form of a to-do list. There’s the long-term goal list, and from it I make a daily to-do list.
I sit down the night before and make out the to-do list so I can start right in on it the next morning. I list the major tasks I want to complete the next day, then I assign a time allotment to each task. Say I need to do a particular type of marketing, such as getting on the Internet and locating newspapers to contact with press releases. And I also want to work on an article for a particular publication, or write something for one of my blogs. I put all the things I feel are necessary to get done right away on my to-do list.
Next morning when I wake up, I don’t have to sit down and try to figure out what should be done first. It’s written down in black and white. I find it is so much easier to follow a script for the day than try to figure it out after breakfast, when it might be tempting to just goof off.
I could never have written three books, scores of articles, and worked for businesses without some sort of schedule to keep me on track, so my daily to-do list is an absolute necessity.
Then there are those days when I don’t really want to avoid procrastination. Sometimes it is simply too tempting to ignore the schedule and go play. For instance, the weather is beautiful and I don’t have a looming deadline, so I take the day off and do whatever I want. But when I seriously need to achieve certain goals and meet a deadline, I can look at my to-do list and begin checking off the items, one-by-one, as I finish them.
By the way, you can make up “To-Do” forms on your computer and store them there, or print them out and fill them in each night. I like a printed form that I can hold in my hand, so I can clip completed forms together and save them. Then, at the end of a year, I can look back and see how much has been accomplished. There’s something really rewarding and inspiring about seeing a stack of to-do lists with every item on them checked off.
Succeeding at writing and avoiding procrastination isn’t rocket science. It simply involves deciding what you want to achieve, then scheduling the steps necessary to reach your goals. Or as I was taught many years ago: “plan your work, then work your plan.” It really is that easy.
The "Precious Moments" Crisis
Since we were going to be near Carthage, Missouri and I knew my sister loved Precious Moments figurines, we decided to pay the chapel and home of the precious little dust catchers a visit. They basically make me gag, but for her, I would make the supreme sacrifice! Besides, I needed an appropriate gift for a young friend just graduating from nursing school, and I thought I might find something there.
Well, as hubby started to turn into the parking lot, I pointed out in my nicest voice that the big rigs seemed to be parking across the street. My most pleasant voice wasn’t heard above the testosterone drumming in his loins as he sensed a challenge. So he turned into the vehicle lot. Then I spotted some RVs at the left end of the parking lot and suggested that he go that way. But again, he no can hear wife’s sweet suggestion. So he plowed straight down the middle row of the lot, thinking he could turn at the other end and get to the outer edge of the lot.
He was wrong! We got to the end of the row before he realized it was a dead-end. Not only that, the engine died at just that moment. No amount of cranking could get it started again, so he decided to unhook the car and have me park it while he continued trying to crank the motorhome. He hoped to be able to get it started and back it out of the parking lot, with his darling little spouse directing, of course.
After a couple more futile attempts to start the engine, I finally hiked into the gift shop to find a pay phone to call our emergency road service. As I came out, a security guard came rushing up frantically signaling hubby to get that giant boxcar out of his parking lot. I explained that we couldn’t possibly move it until someone got there to start it again, and that meantime, I could direct anyone around us whose way we might be blocking.
The guard was seemingly on the verge of a mental breakdown or cardiac arrest, and he wanted us to move, NOW! I tried to calm him down while I explained the facts. A horrific picture of myself having to direct traffic while also giving him CPR (which I had recently learned, but failed the certification test) wound through my brain. Things did not look good for the security guard! Still, there was nothing we could do except wait to be rescued.
Long story short: the road service truck showed up, they took a look under the hood and discovered the problem—a ruptured gas line—and within a few minutes we were ready to roll again. Not one single motorist had needed to be directed around the motorhome during that time. I guess they were all still inside, catatonic and frozen in place after gaping at thousands of creepy little figurines.
I can’t say how the security guy survived the catastrophe. When we left he was still pacing up and down, wiping his brow and wringing his hands. He was so distressed, he was absolutely no help to us, nor could he have been to anyone else who might need help. In fact, he appeared not to notice that our motorhome was no longer blocking the lane.
Hubby finally got the rig parked and I ran into the shop and grabbed a couple of precious little memory makers off the shelf, paid for them, and thought how the last thing I wanted to do was to spend money on the little dust catchers. I didn’t even bother to check out the Chapel, which is the showcase of the place. I just wanted out of there—and let’s just say we’ve never been back. And my memories of the place are not so precious!
We would have many more mishaps before we managed to get this RVing thing right.
Since we were going to be near Carthage, Missouri and I knew my sister loved Precious Moments figurines, we decided to pay the chapel and home of the precious little dust catchers a visit. They basically make me gag, but for her, I would make the supreme sacrifice! Besides, I needed an appropriate gift for a young friend just graduating from nursing school, and I thought I might find something there.
Well, as hubby started to turn into the parking lot, I pointed out in my nicest voice that the big rigs seemed to be parking across the street. My most pleasant voice wasn’t heard above the testosterone drumming in his loins as he sensed a challenge. So he turned into the vehicle lot. Then I spotted some RVs at the left end of the parking lot and suggested that he go that way. But again, he no can hear wife’s sweet suggestion. So he plowed straight down the middle row of the lot, thinking he could turn at the other end and get to the outer edge of the lot.
He was wrong! We got to the end of the row before he realized it was a dead-end. Not only that, the engine died at just that moment. No amount of cranking could get it started again, so he decided to unhook the car and have me park it while he continued trying to crank the motorhome. He hoped to be able to get it started and back it out of the parking lot, with his darling little spouse directing, of course.
After a couple more futile attempts to start the engine, I finally hiked into the gift shop to find a pay phone to call our emergency road service. As I came out, a security guard came rushing up frantically signaling hubby to get that giant boxcar out of his parking lot. I explained that we couldn’t possibly move it until someone got there to start it again, and that meantime, I could direct anyone around us whose way we might be blocking.
The guard was seemingly on the verge of a mental breakdown or cardiac arrest, and he wanted us to move, NOW! I tried to calm him down while I explained the facts. A horrific picture of myself having to direct traffic while also giving him CPR (which I had recently learned, but failed the certification test) wound through my brain. Things did not look good for the security guard! Still, there was nothing we could do except wait to be rescued.
Long story short: the road service truck showed up, they took a look under the hood and discovered the problem—a ruptured gas line—and within a few minutes we were ready to roll again. Not one single motorist had needed to be directed around the motorhome during that time. I guess they were all still inside, catatonic and frozen in place after gaping at thousands of creepy little figurines.
I can’t say how the security guy survived the catastrophe. When we left he was still pacing up and down, wiping his brow and wringing his hands. He was so distressed, he was absolutely no help to us, nor could he have been to anyone else who might need help. In fact, he appeared not to notice that our motorhome was no longer blocking the lane.
Hubby finally got the rig parked and I ran into the shop and grabbed a couple of precious little memory makers off the shelf, paid for them, and thought how the last thing I wanted to do was to spend money on the little dust catchers. I didn’t even bother to check out the Chapel, which is the showcase of the place. I just wanted out of there—and let’s just say we’ve never been back. And my memories of the place are not so precious!
We would have many more mishaps before we managed to get this RVing thing right.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Live Your Dreams as a Writer
If I could do it, you can too!
To write: that was my dream. To make enough money to travel: that was my goal.
So what are your dreams and goals? Are you a writer who doesn’t earn enough income support the family? Or, do you wish you could become a writer but don’t know how to start? Maybe you’re already writing for a living and make plenty of money, but you’d just like some new ideas to stimulate you and provide excitement to your career.
I wrote the book, Portable Writing, as an answer to all of the above dilemmas. I once was that person dreaming of writing. And for awhile, I was that writer not making enough income from churning out articles for magazines and newspapers. Yeah, I was seeing my name in print, but that doesn’t necessarily put food on the table.
Then an old friend called and asked if I could write some promotional materials for her business. Another asked if I could write an article about her business for the newspaper. Step by step and brick by brick, my business grew as more and more clients asked for my help writing effective business correspondence.
Soon, I was asked to not only write, but to create newsletters and brochures. So I bought a computer with graphics capabilities and desktop publishing software, and began spending my spare time learning to use them. I applied the same methods to mastering those skills as I did to learning to write. I read everything I could find on the subject and asked advice from everyone who knew anything about the field. Once I began providing both writing and DTP services, my business exploded.
My message to you is that you can do everything I did, and probably better than I ever could. None of what I’ve done requires any special talent or education. I grew up believing that I could succeed at anything I put my mind to – and that anyone else can, too. Of course, that didn’t mean I could become a Nobel prize-winning scientist or mathematician. But if I had been even remotely interested in either, I have no doubt that I could have at least done okay.
If you want to be a successful writer, if you want to make lots of money creating words that people will read, you can do it if you really try. You might be one of those lucky people who has a book idea, writes it, gets a publishing contract paying a huge advance, and hits the best seller list immediately. You might, but the odds are against you. That is why you need a few other ideas in your writing arsenal to keep you afloat.
Learn your craft, work hard and read Portable Writing to discover 25 projects that will propel you towards your goal. It took me twenty years to learn what I know, but you can do it much faster – within weeks – if you put into practice everything I’ve shared in Portable Writing. Go for it! I wish you good luck and blessings for your chosen career.
If I could do it, you can too!
To write: that was my dream. To make enough money to travel: that was my goal.
So what are your dreams and goals? Are you a writer who doesn’t earn enough income support the family? Or, do you wish you could become a writer but don’t know how to start? Maybe you’re already writing for a living and make plenty of money, but you’d just like some new ideas to stimulate you and provide excitement to your career.
I wrote the book, Portable Writing, as an answer to all of the above dilemmas. I once was that person dreaming of writing. And for awhile, I was that writer not making enough income from churning out articles for magazines and newspapers. Yeah, I was seeing my name in print, but that doesn’t necessarily put food on the table.
Then an old friend called and asked if I could write some promotional materials for her business. Another asked if I could write an article about her business for the newspaper. Step by step and brick by brick, my business grew as more and more clients asked for my help writing effective business correspondence.
Soon, I was asked to not only write, but to create newsletters and brochures. So I bought a computer with graphics capabilities and desktop publishing software, and began spending my spare time learning to use them. I applied the same methods to mastering those skills as I did to learning to write. I read everything I could find on the subject and asked advice from everyone who knew anything about the field. Once I began providing both writing and DTP services, my business exploded.
My message to you is that you can do everything I did, and probably better than I ever could. None of what I’ve done requires any special talent or education. I grew up believing that I could succeed at anything I put my mind to – and that anyone else can, too. Of course, that didn’t mean I could become a Nobel prize-winning scientist or mathematician. But if I had been even remotely interested in either, I have no doubt that I could have at least done okay.
If you want to be a successful writer, if you want to make lots of money creating words that people will read, you can do it if you really try. You might be one of those lucky people who has a book idea, writes it, gets a publishing contract paying a huge advance, and hits the best seller list immediately. You might, but the odds are against you. That is why you need a few other ideas in your writing arsenal to keep you afloat.
Learn your craft, work hard and read Portable Writing to discover 25 projects that will propel you towards your goal. It took me twenty years to learn what I know, but you can do it much faster – within weeks – if you put into practice everything I’ve shared in Portable Writing. Go for it! I wish you good luck and blessings for your chosen career.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
PORTABLE WRITING A BEST-SELLER
My book, Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom, is on Writer's Weekly best-seller list this week. Check it out at www.writersweekly.com.
My book, Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom, is on Writer's Weekly best-seller list this week. Check it out at www.writersweekly.com.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
New Writers - An Easy Way to Get Published Right Away
Beginning writers tend to stress out over all the different things they’ve been taught about writing for publication. How do I even begin to write a query letter? Who do I send it to? Do I even need one? How can I sell my article idea in a query letter when I haven’t written it yet? And what about clips? What in heaven’s name are they? I don’t have any, so what do I do? By this point, most beginners are tearing their hair out—and for good reason.
There is one way you can begin earning money as a published writer right away and you won’t need to write a query letter to do it. Lots of magazines need fillers—short articles, jokes, quizzes, etc,—and greeting card companies need short verses and clever sayings to fill their cards and warm consumers’ hearts. You can get paid to write them, plus you’ll have clips to send out in the future to other magazines as evidence of having been published.
Which magazines need fillers? Well, Reader’s Digest is a leading publication that pays from $100 to $300 for funny true stories. They’re used in "Life in these United States," "All in a Day’s Work" and "Humor in Uniform." They also use jokes, quotes, and other material in "Laughter, the Best Medicine," "Quotable Quotes," and elsewhere in the magazine. And some of these fillers don’t even have to be original. You can send funny items from other published sources.
Go to www.rd.com/joke to submit original material, and check the magazine for how to send items clipped from other sources. You might find a really funny short piece in your local newspaper that would be suitable for Reader’s Digest. And flip through other popular magazines to see what types of fillers they use, and then submit your own.
By the way, this opportunity isn’t open only to beginning writers. Experienced writers can, and do, regularly earn easy, extra income by writing fillers.
Beginning writers tend to stress out over all the different things they’ve been taught about writing for publication. How do I even begin to write a query letter? Who do I send it to? Do I even need one? How can I sell my article idea in a query letter when I haven’t written it yet? And what about clips? What in heaven’s name are they? I don’t have any, so what do I do? By this point, most beginners are tearing their hair out—and for good reason.
There is one way you can begin earning money as a published writer right away and you won’t need to write a query letter to do it. Lots of magazines need fillers—short articles, jokes, quizzes, etc,—and greeting card companies need short verses and clever sayings to fill their cards and warm consumers’ hearts. You can get paid to write them, plus you’ll have clips to send out in the future to other magazines as evidence of having been published.
Which magazines need fillers? Well, Reader’s Digest is a leading publication that pays from $100 to $300 for funny true stories. They’re used in "Life in these United States," "All in a Day’s Work" and "Humor in Uniform." They also use jokes, quotes, and other material in "Laughter, the Best Medicine," "Quotable Quotes," and elsewhere in the magazine. And some of these fillers don’t even have to be original. You can send funny items from other published sources.
Go to www.rd.com/joke to submit original material, and check the magazine for how to send items clipped from other sources. You might find a really funny short piece in your local newspaper that would be suitable for Reader’s Digest. And flip through other popular magazines to see what types of fillers they use, and then submit your own.
By the way, this opportunity isn’t open only to beginning writers. Experienced writers can, and do, regularly earn easy, extra income by writing fillers.
RACING MOTORHOMES? OH YEAH!
During the writer’s strike we discovered some new favorite shows, and one of them is a BBC (British) auto show called “Top Gear.” Now I’m not even a car fan—as long as it runs and doesn’t look too gross, it’s okay with me—but this show is hilarious. On every show, the three men who are regulars find every imaginative way possible to race or have a contest between a variety of vehicles, often built or modified by them.
They’ve taken ordinary cars and extended them to four or five times longer, then raced to reach an award show in downtown London on time, with a celebrity in tow, never mind that some of the extended vehicles couldn’t maneuver the street turns. They’ve taken ordinary used cars (not 4-wheel drive) and raced them across the interior of Africa. Funny? You bet, as they discarded everything that weighted their car down, and eventually stopped to break out the windows, then fought off flies, mosquitoes, and dust as they tried to be first to reach the border over non-existent roads.
They also competed in a race from London to Heathrow Airport. One took a fast boat down the river, one rode a bicycle through traffic, one took public transportation, and one drove a car. Guess which one came in last. The race ended at the airport with the three regulars bemoaning the fact that they were on an auto show that promoted driving, but the car arrived 15 minutes after all the others. The bicycle came in first.
Recently the regulars decided to race several motorhomes around an oval track. Who else would think of anything so ridiculous? There was everything from Class A, to Class C, to one Toyota Class B van with a raised soft top to extend head room. Rules were that the rigs couldn’t touch each other during the race.
Most of the drivers discarded the extra weight the afternoon before the race, but one of the regulars spent his time cooking a gourmet meal in his galley instead, so when the race started, dishes flew out of the cabinets, creating noisy havoc and a dangerous diversion as he tried to concentrate on racing. The other motorhomes didn’t fare much better. Another of the regulars ended the race with only his truck frame and and front end with driver’s seat intact. Everything else was littered along the track, where it had fallen off as his coach bumped into others in his eagerness to win.
Bumping wasn’t necessarily intentional. The big rigs leaned and lurched into each other in the turns, often knocking off and shredding the walls of the units. One made a turn with the left wheels riding up on a curb. The Class-B Toyota plowed between the other motorhomes, sometimes getting frighteningly squeezed and finally losing its top somewhere along the race route. The sight of these behemoths racing and rattling around the track had us in hysterics.
So if you enjoy seeing the newest cars tested (they do try out the newest, latest, most expensive, as well as regular cars like most of us drive), and love a good laugh, you might want to catch this show. Check your guide for day and time. See the motorhome race, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gourYCpaJLU&eurl=http://rvvideos.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html.
During the writer’s strike we discovered some new favorite shows, and one of them is a BBC (British) auto show called “Top Gear.” Now I’m not even a car fan—as long as it runs and doesn’t look too gross, it’s okay with me—but this show is hilarious. On every show, the three men who are regulars find every imaginative way possible to race or have a contest between a variety of vehicles, often built or modified by them.
They’ve taken ordinary cars and extended them to four or five times longer, then raced to reach an award show in downtown London on time, with a celebrity in tow, never mind that some of the extended vehicles couldn’t maneuver the street turns. They’ve taken ordinary used cars (not 4-wheel drive) and raced them across the interior of Africa. Funny? You bet, as they discarded everything that weighted their car down, and eventually stopped to break out the windows, then fought off flies, mosquitoes, and dust as they tried to be first to reach the border over non-existent roads.
They also competed in a race from London to Heathrow Airport. One took a fast boat down the river, one rode a bicycle through traffic, one took public transportation, and one drove a car. Guess which one came in last. The race ended at the airport with the three regulars bemoaning the fact that they were on an auto show that promoted driving, but the car arrived 15 minutes after all the others. The bicycle came in first.
Recently the regulars decided to race several motorhomes around an oval track. Who else would think of anything so ridiculous? There was everything from Class A, to Class C, to one Toyota Class B van with a raised soft top to extend head room. Rules were that the rigs couldn’t touch each other during the race.
Most of the drivers discarded the extra weight the afternoon before the race, but one of the regulars spent his time cooking a gourmet meal in his galley instead, so when the race started, dishes flew out of the cabinets, creating noisy havoc and a dangerous diversion as he tried to concentrate on racing. The other motorhomes didn’t fare much better. Another of the regulars ended the race with only his truck frame and and front end with driver’s seat intact. Everything else was littered along the track, where it had fallen off as his coach bumped into others in his eagerness to win.
Bumping wasn’t necessarily intentional. The big rigs leaned and lurched into each other in the turns, often knocking off and shredding the walls of the units. One made a turn with the left wheels riding up on a curb. The Class-B Toyota plowed between the other motorhomes, sometimes getting frighteningly squeezed and finally losing its top somewhere along the race route. The sight of these behemoths racing and rattling around the track had us in hysterics.
So if you enjoy seeing the newest cars tested (they do try out the newest, latest, most expensive, as well as regular cars like most of us drive), and love a good laugh, you might want to catch this show. Check your guide for day and time. See the motorhome race, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gourYCpaJLU&eurl=http://rvvideos.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html.
Upgrading Your RV’s InteriorA 20" flatscreen TV was installed on the pantry wall (right), which is directly behind the slideout when it is retracted. Other accessories personalize the interior, including a dash kitty (left) and a table lamp that holds magazines.
As much as new RVs cost, you would think that manufacturers would hire professional, experienced designers and space planners to create their RV interiors, but many don’t! A lot of them use the “talents” of the owners’ wife, who might have a “flair for decorating.” Believe me, a flair doesn’t translate into being able to efficiently plan space and select appropriate materials for an RV’s interior. And those manufacturers that do use qualified designers sometimes hire recent graduates who don’t understand the needs of RVers. Sometimes, it appears that they don’t even understand how kitchens and bathrooms are used.
A common complaint in new RVs is the amount of wasted space beneath and behind things. Another is that few have backsplashes in the kitchens and bathrooms. And one other is that many manufacturers put carpeting in the kitchen and bathroom. It’s obvious that no space planning has taken place, and that the person who designed the interior has had no experience whatsoever as either a designer, an RVer, or as a person who cooks and cleans. So it becomes necessary to upgrade certain things in an RV to make it comfortable and easy to care for, and to suit your own, individual lifestyle.
Wasted space is one of my pet peeves. We have now owned three motorhomes, and every one of them has had lots of wasted space. Finding space can be a bit sticky, since there are weight considerations for RVs. Most don’t have much extra weight allowance beyond what is absolutely necessary. Every item in an RV must have a use and be properly placed. Usually, passengers and their luggage are about all that can be added to a fully furnished unit without overstressing the RV.
However, every RVer on the planet has to carry extra paper supplies, extra blankets and pillows, etc., so what’s the problem with making room for them? Our hallway has two big cubbyholes that are inaccessible, but by taking the wood panels out and replacing them with doors, they’re big enough to store toilet paper, paper towels, and other lightweight, bulky items. I can guarantee you that cupboards and closets in any RV are on the smallish side, so we’ve lacked space for these bulky paper items in all three RVs!
Another problem is storage areas with doors that fold down, so you have to crawl across the door to access the area. Two small doors that open back to the side would be so much more efficient!
Most RVs lack a backsplash around the sinks, but that is easily remedied by buying plexiglass, cut to size, then fastening it to the wall, or purchasing some other lightweight, waterproof material to use as a backsplash. While tiles are lovely and stylish, they add unnecessary weight to the RV!
There are lots of small, lightweight accessories you can add to your RV’s interior to make it more enjoyable and useful, and more homelike.
You can also subtract furnishings that you don’t use. We removed the table and chairs from our latest motorhome because the table was usually piled high with mail, etc. that needed putting away. The chairs were very heavy, and I got tired of lifting them each time I had to vacuum, or even to pull them up to the table. They were useless weight that I was overjoyed to remove.
Now we have a wide-open living area to which we have added an occasional chair, a 2-drawer file cabinet, and computer space. We attached the flat panel monitor to the wall and it swings out for viewing. Another problem we originally had was with the tiny 13” TV that sat at ceiling level in a cabinet built for it. From across the room, it was like watching ants parade across the screen.
Since we have a slide-out that holds the sofa, there was about 6 inches between the pantry wall and the slide-out when it was retracted. We measured the space and decided a flat-screen 20” TV would fit into the space if its speakers were at the bottom of the screen, instead of on the sides. We bolted it through the pantry wall and added metal supports to the bottom as an extra measure of safety. Now characters on the screen are visible and recognizable, no matter where we sit in the living area.
The kitchen has vinyl flooring, but then carpeting has been installed down the hall and in the bathroom. Pale colored carpeting! Needless to say, there’s a shaded wear pattern down the center of the hall, plus since my food storage pantry is located there, I managed to drop and break a bottle of orange-colored steak sauce that created a permanent stain. Nothing has cleaned it! So we discussed using wood flooring throughout, but decided the glue-down installation might crack when we bounced across rough roads, and the snap-together type might pop up. We may be wrong, but we are also concerned with the added weight. And forget about tile, which I would love, because of the same weight concern.
So we will look for a cushioned tile-patterned vinyl floor that looks nice, unlike the kitchen vinyl we now have which has a distinct “bathroom” design. And we will pull up the carpeting in the hallway and bathroom and replace it with the same vinyl flooring.
Don’t stress if you need to change a few things in your RV. Add colorful cushions, personal photos or favorite artwork, and perhaps, your own choice of window treatments. The sailboat above the TV was a model of the boat hubby owned and was carved by a dear California friend, Pat Miller. A few simple steps and a little ingenuity can easily customize your RV to fit your lifestyle
A common complaint in new RVs is the amount of wasted space beneath and behind things. Another is that few have backsplashes in the kitchens and bathrooms. And one other is that many manufacturers put carpeting in the kitchen and bathroom. It’s obvious that no space planning has taken place, and that the person who designed the interior has had no experience whatsoever as either a designer, an RVer, or as a person who cooks and cleans. So it becomes necessary to upgrade certain things in an RV to make it comfortable and easy to care for, and to suit your own, individual lifestyle.
Wasted space is one of my pet peeves. We have now owned three motorhomes, and every one of them has had lots of wasted space. Finding space can be a bit sticky, since there are weight considerations for RVs. Most don’t have much extra weight allowance beyond what is absolutely necessary. Every item in an RV must have a use and be properly placed. Usually, passengers and their luggage are about all that can be added to a fully furnished unit without overstressing the RV.
However, every RVer on the planet has to carry extra paper supplies, extra blankets and pillows, etc., so what’s the problem with making room for them? Our hallway has two big cubbyholes that are inaccessible, but by taking the wood panels out and replacing them with doors, they’re big enough to store toilet paper, paper towels, and other lightweight, bulky items. I can guarantee you that cupboards and closets in any RV are on the smallish side, so we’ve lacked space for these bulky paper items in all three RVs!
Another problem is storage areas with doors that fold down, so you have to crawl across the door to access the area. Two small doors that open back to the side would be so much more efficient!
Most RVs lack a backsplash around the sinks, but that is easily remedied by buying plexiglass, cut to size, then fastening it to the wall, or purchasing some other lightweight, waterproof material to use as a backsplash. While tiles are lovely and stylish, they add unnecessary weight to the RV!
There are lots of small, lightweight accessories you can add to your RV’s interior to make it more enjoyable and useful, and more homelike.
You can also subtract furnishings that you don’t use. We removed the table and chairs from our latest motorhome because the table was usually piled high with mail, etc. that needed putting away. The chairs were very heavy, and I got tired of lifting them each time I had to vacuum, or even to pull them up to the table. They were useless weight that I was overjoyed to remove.
Now we have a wide-open living area to which we have added an occasional chair, a 2-drawer file cabinet, and computer space. We attached the flat panel monitor to the wall and it swings out for viewing. Another problem we originally had was with the tiny 13” TV that sat at ceiling level in a cabinet built for it. From across the room, it was like watching ants parade across the screen.
Since we have a slide-out that holds the sofa, there was about 6 inches between the pantry wall and the slide-out when it was retracted. We measured the space and decided a flat-screen 20” TV would fit into the space if its speakers were at the bottom of the screen, instead of on the sides. We bolted it through the pantry wall and added metal supports to the bottom as an extra measure of safety. Now characters on the screen are visible and recognizable, no matter where we sit in the living area.
The kitchen has vinyl flooring, but then carpeting has been installed down the hall and in the bathroom. Pale colored carpeting! Needless to say, there’s a shaded wear pattern down the center of the hall, plus since my food storage pantry is located there, I managed to drop and break a bottle of orange-colored steak sauce that created a permanent stain. Nothing has cleaned it! So we discussed using wood flooring throughout, but decided the glue-down installation might crack when we bounced across rough roads, and the snap-together type might pop up. We may be wrong, but we are also concerned with the added weight. And forget about tile, which I would love, because of the same weight concern.
So we will look for a cushioned tile-patterned vinyl floor that looks nice, unlike the kitchen vinyl we now have which has a distinct “bathroom” design. And we will pull up the carpeting in the hallway and bathroom and replace it with the same vinyl flooring.
Don’t stress if you need to change a few things in your RV. Add colorful cushions, personal photos or favorite artwork, and perhaps, your own choice of window treatments. The sailboat above the TV was a model of the boat hubby owned and was carved by a dear California friend, Pat Miller. A few simple steps and a little ingenuity can easily customize your RV to fit your lifestyle
A Blog of Interest
If you’re interested in a site that is well-written and inspirational, you really should check out http://onewordsmith.blogspot.com. Barbara Kaufmann’s writing is professional, sensitive, thoughtful, and inspiring.
I became acquainted with Barbara through her writing when she submitted an essay and some poems for inclusion in my book, Looking Back: Boomers Remember History from the ‘40s to the Present. To say I was impressed would be an understatement, as I found her words touched the deepest part of my soul. She has that special talent for putting into words, emotions that most of us react with or to, but don’t really understand in any depth. Certainly, few can match her talent for expressing her thoughts.
Barbara grew up as a baby boomer under the constant fear of Cold War, and of possible nuclear annihilation if something wasn’t done to end the stand-off between the United States and the Soviet Union. Her essay in Looking Back is titled “When I Am a Grownup I Will Do Something,” and recalls her efforts to improve the world. Her two poems are touching memories of a visit to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. to find the name of a former schoolmate, and of seeing a missile silo in North Dakota that held the warheads that could ignite a nuclear disaster.
She still seeks to make the world a better home for all living things, and she’s searching for others who want to “create a new and improved humanity.” Be sure to check out her blog.
If you’re interested in a site that is well-written and inspirational, you really should check out http://onewordsmith.blogspot.com. Barbara Kaufmann’s writing is professional, sensitive, thoughtful, and inspiring.
I became acquainted with Barbara through her writing when she submitted an essay and some poems for inclusion in my book, Looking Back: Boomers Remember History from the ‘40s to the Present. To say I was impressed would be an understatement, as I found her words touched the deepest part of my soul. She has that special talent for putting into words, emotions that most of us react with or to, but don’t really understand in any depth. Certainly, few can match her talent for expressing her thoughts.
Barbara grew up as a baby boomer under the constant fear of Cold War, and of possible nuclear annihilation if something wasn’t done to end the stand-off between the United States and the Soviet Union. Her essay in Looking Back is titled “When I Am a Grownup I Will Do Something,” and recalls her efforts to improve the world. Her two poems are touching memories of a visit to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. to find the name of a former schoolmate, and of seeing a missile silo in North Dakota that held the warheads that could ignite a nuclear disaster.
She still seeks to make the world a better home for all living things, and she’s searching for others who want to “create a new and improved humanity.” Be sure to check out her blog.
RVing - Mom and the Bordello Museum
A few years after our Canadian trip, we decided one day to take Mom on a drive over to Idaho and maybe Western Montana. We had no idea where we would go when we got there, or what we would see, but we knew it would be an adventure. It always is!
You may have figured out some things about Mom from the previous story, but when I tell you she doesn’t get out much, trust me. She’s a devoutly religious woman who was raised in the "civilized" East, but moved out west to be near her youngest daughter. And let’s just say she is as clueless as mothers come, especially for the mother of a baby boomer daughter.
On this particular trip, we ended up in Wallace, Idaho, which was once home to a huge silver mining operation. Our first stop was at a mining museum. One thing about Mom, she must have been raised in a household where they had one of everything. As we toured the museum, she would comment “We used to have one of those.” Okay, so there were some pots and pans, and assorted paraphernalia that could be found in most homes, but I sure wasn’t familiar with most of that stuff. Then again, if it was used in a kitchen, I don't have a clue, anyway.
After the museum tour we headed for the railroad depot, which was the town’s information center. We browsed the brochures, heard the history of the depot, and then walked outside to enjoy the sunshine.
Hubby spotted the Bordello Museum across the street and decided to investigate. A few minutes later, Mom asked, “Where did Son go?” I pointed to the building he had entered. “Well, let’s go in there too,” Mom said. “Are you sure you want to go in there?” I asked her, knowing she was too much of a prude to have any patience with a former bordello. “Sure,” she said and took off across the street.
I figured she could read and knew where she was going, so I followed her in the back entrance and we started checking the displays to our left. As we looked at the various items, I noticed she didn’t say “We used to have one of those,” as often as in the previous museum, but she was interested and commented on some of the fans, sequined purses, dresses, etc. We looked at displays all across the back wall, all the way up the long side wall, and then across the front of the building.
And that’s when it happened. She suddenly spotted the stairway going up and the price list posted beside it. She shrieked in a horrified voice that would have emptied the place of any remaining ghosts, “We’re in a bawdy house!” I said, “Well yes, didn’t you know that?” She turned to me and screamed accusingly, “You brought me to a bawdy house!”
I brought her? If I remembered correctly, this was her idea.
After the people working in the museum recovered from their initial hearing loss after her hysterical screech, they rushed up to try and tell her it was no longer a bawdy house, it was now a museum. She was having none of it. She indignantly stomped back through the museum to the back door and out on the street, accusing me of leading her astray. I reminded her that it was her idea to go in, not mine, but she was too furious to listen. She said she had no idea what the word “bordello” meant, and I should have known she wouldn’t know.
But that was nothing to what she had to say to her son when he finally wandered out. I guess he stood around inside for awhile trying to pretend SHE was not with HIM before he finally came out. Exiting the building was a bad idea anyway with his Mom snorting and pawing the dirt outside like a bull that’s spotted a waving red cape.
We took her antique shopping afterwards to calm her down and get her mind off the indecent experience she had been subjected to by us. She’s 91 now and will still go places with us in the car, but I’m betting she carries a dictionary in her purse to check out any unfamiliar words on buildings we try to take her in. She’s become extremely cautious.
We have offered from time to time to take her to the buffet at the Indian Casino near where she lives, but she won’t hear of it because people gamble there. She won’t even go to the senior center because people play cards there. We’ve explained that the casino buffet is next to the entrance, and we’ll lead her in so she can close her eyes and won’t have to see all the sin and corruption going on. However, even though she’s never met a buffet she doesn’t absolutely adore, she still refuses to go when we visit her. I’m afraid we’ve led her astray one time too many, even though that was unintentional.
She’ll never be convinced that we aren’t trying to corrupt her in her old age. And I’ve vowed to hubby never to let her know about the time she unintentionally let alcohol touch her lips. Her favorite saying: "Lips that touch liquor will never touch mine." Still, she ate beef cooked in burgundy at the Blue Bayou Restaurant in Disneyland without knowing it (everything was cooked in wine, and she didn't know what the words meant), and rolls at my house made with beer instead of yeast (which I didn’t think about until after I served them). She loved them and scarffed down a couple while I was still putting food on the table. Oops, too late to save her from that horrible sin. Well, no need to bring it up now!
Next time, some of our goof-ups on the road that make good campfire stories now that they’re in the past.
A few years after our Canadian trip, we decided one day to take Mom on a drive over to Idaho and maybe Western Montana. We had no idea where we would go when we got there, or what we would see, but we knew it would be an adventure. It always is!
You may have figured out some things about Mom from the previous story, but when I tell you she doesn’t get out much, trust me. She’s a devoutly religious woman who was raised in the "civilized" East, but moved out west to be near her youngest daughter. And let’s just say she is as clueless as mothers come, especially for the mother of a baby boomer daughter.
On this particular trip, we ended up in Wallace, Idaho, which was once home to a huge silver mining operation. Our first stop was at a mining museum. One thing about Mom, she must have been raised in a household where they had one of everything. As we toured the museum, she would comment “We used to have one of those.” Okay, so there were some pots and pans, and assorted paraphernalia that could be found in most homes, but I sure wasn’t familiar with most of that stuff. Then again, if it was used in a kitchen, I don't have a clue, anyway.
After the museum tour we headed for the railroad depot, which was the town’s information center. We browsed the brochures, heard the history of the depot, and then walked outside to enjoy the sunshine.
Hubby spotted the Bordello Museum across the street and decided to investigate. A few minutes later, Mom asked, “Where did Son go?” I pointed to the building he had entered. “Well, let’s go in there too,” Mom said. “Are you sure you want to go in there?” I asked her, knowing she was too much of a prude to have any patience with a former bordello. “Sure,” she said and took off across the street.
I figured she could read and knew where she was going, so I followed her in the back entrance and we started checking the displays to our left. As we looked at the various items, I noticed she didn’t say “We used to have one of those,” as often as in the previous museum, but she was interested and commented on some of the fans, sequined purses, dresses, etc. We looked at displays all across the back wall, all the way up the long side wall, and then across the front of the building.
And that’s when it happened. She suddenly spotted the stairway going up and the price list posted beside it. She shrieked in a horrified voice that would have emptied the place of any remaining ghosts, “We’re in a bawdy house!” I said, “Well yes, didn’t you know that?” She turned to me and screamed accusingly, “You brought me to a bawdy house!”
I brought her? If I remembered correctly, this was her idea.
After the people working in the museum recovered from their initial hearing loss after her hysterical screech, they rushed up to try and tell her it was no longer a bawdy house, it was now a museum. She was having none of it. She indignantly stomped back through the museum to the back door and out on the street, accusing me of leading her astray. I reminded her that it was her idea to go in, not mine, but she was too furious to listen. She said she had no idea what the word “bordello” meant, and I should have known she wouldn’t know.
But that was nothing to what she had to say to her son when he finally wandered out. I guess he stood around inside for awhile trying to pretend SHE was not with HIM before he finally came out. Exiting the building was a bad idea anyway with his Mom snorting and pawing the dirt outside like a bull that’s spotted a waving red cape.
We took her antique shopping afterwards to calm her down and get her mind off the indecent experience she had been subjected to by us. She’s 91 now and will still go places with us in the car, but I’m betting she carries a dictionary in her purse to check out any unfamiliar words on buildings we try to take her in. She’s become extremely cautious.
We have offered from time to time to take her to the buffet at the Indian Casino near where she lives, but she won’t hear of it because people gamble there. She won’t even go to the senior center because people play cards there. We’ve explained that the casino buffet is next to the entrance, and we’ll lead her in so she can close her eyes and won’t have to see all the sin and corruption going on. However, even though she’s never met a buffet she doesn’t absolutely adore, she still refuses to go when we visit her. I’m afraid we’ve led her astray one time too many, even though that was unintentional.
She’ll never be convinced that we aren’t trying to corrupt her in her old age. And I’ve vowed to hubby never to let her know about the time she unintentionally let alcohol touch her lips. Her favorite saying: "Lips that touch liquor will never touch mine." Still, she ate beef cooked in burgundy at the Blue Bayou Restaurant in Disneyland without knowing it (everything was cooked in wine, and she didn't know what the words meant), and rolls at my house made with beer instead of yeast (which I didn’t think about until after I served them). She loved them and scarffed down a couple while I was still putting food on the table. Oops, too late to save her from that horrible sin. Well, no need to bring it up now!
Next time, some of our goof-ups on the road that make good campfire stories now that they’re in the past.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Celebrities Enjoy RVing Too
Would it surprise you to run into Matthew McConaughey in the clubhouse while staying in an RV park? Read about him and learn which other celebrities enjoy RVing here.
Would it surprise you to run into Matthew McConaughey in the clubhouse while staying in an RV park? Read about him and learn which other celebrities enjoy RVing here.
Helpful Information About RVing
One of the things I try to do in this column is to provide helpful information to those of you who are thinking about buying an RV, or those who have one and are planning to hit the road fulltime. Your questions let me know what I need to write about. I just realized that I have been negligent in passing on useful Websites after I received some questions about towing a 5th wheel and Internet service while traveling.
Internet
I think most of you probably already know that we use, and are happy with both Verizon cell phone and wireless Internet services. Cell phone usage is limited to 450 minutes each month with free service on weekends and late evenings. We’ve only exceeded our limit one time, and that was only by a couple of dollars, and was because we were near relatives and were constantly phoning back and forth to each other. Internet usage is unlimited—and hopefully—it will remain that way. We pay about $60 per month in addition to the cell phone service, which is about $40. So for a total of $100 per month plus tax and surcharges, we can keep in touch as much and often as we need.
RVing
There is a website where you can buy books and DVDs on RVing and various, related topics, including cooking in an RV. It is located at www.RVBookstore.com. Also, you can receive a weekly newsletter that provides all sorts of useful information, including RV product recalls, by contacting www.RVTravel.com. I don’t know if there is a charge for this newsletter.
If you are retired from the military or still on active duty, you will find lots of information on military camping at: http://www.rvtravel.com/blog/militaryrving/. You can also buy a guide book to campgrounds on military installations, called FAMCAMPS, at the above mentioned RV Bookstore.
RV Travel also provides a link to a site that tells about work-camping while RVing. Many RVers work for a few hours each week. Some earn a free site with hookups by volunteering as hosts at federal and state park campgrounds. Others earn extra income by working at RV parks or at places like Disneyworld, Silver Dollar City, and Dollywood. Some folks work in the North during the summer and the South during the winter months.
I hope these links will help answer questions you may have about the RVing lifestyle. Meanwhile, I will continue to update you with any news and information I come across. Happy travels to those of you who travel by RV, and happy dreams to those who want to.
One of the things I try to do in this column is to provide helpful information to those of you who are thinking about buying an RV, or those who have one and are planning to hit the road fulltime. Your questions let me know what I need to write about. I just realized that I have been negligent in passing on useful Websites after I received some questions about towing a 5th wheel and Internet service while traveling.
Internet
I think most of you probably already know that we use, and are happy with both Verizon cell phone and wireless Internet services. Cell phone usage is limited to 450 minutes each month with free service on weekends and late evenings. We’ve only exceeded our limit one time, and that was only by a couple of dollars, and was because we were near relatives and were constantly phoning back and forth to each other. Internet usage is unlimited—and hopefully—it will remain that way. We pay about $60 per month in addition to the cell phone service, which is about $40. So for a total of $100 per month plus tax and surcharges, we can keep in touch as much and often as we need.
RVing
There is a website where you can buy books and DVDs on RVing and various, related topics, including cooking in an RV. It is located at www.RVBookstore.com. Also, you can receive a weekly newsletter that provides all sorts of useful information, including RV product recalls, by contacting www.RVTravel.com. I don’t know if there is a charge for this newsletter.
If you are retired from the military or still on active duty, you will find lots of information on military camping at: http://www.rvtravel.com/blog/militaryrving/. You can also buy a guide book to campgrounds on military installations, called FAMCAMPS, at the above mentioned RV Bookstore.
RV Travel also provides a link to a site that tells about work-camping while RVing. Many RVers work for a few hours each week. Some earn a free site with hookups by volunteering as hosts at federal and state park campgrounds. Others earn extra income by working at RV parks or at places like Disneyworld, Silver Dollar City, and Dollywood. Some folks work in the North during the summer and the South during the winter months.
I hope these links will help answer questions you may have about the RVing lifestyle. Meanwhile, I will continue to update you with any news and information I come across. Happy travels to those of you who travel by RV, and happy dreams to those who want to.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Make Money Writing Press Releases
As you’re all probably aware by now, I’ve never depended solely upon income from published articles and books. Instead, I decided almost at the start of my career to also offer writing services to businesses. They need what we offer, and therein resides a great opportunity for all writers. And there’s no better time to offer writing services than during a recession.
I started as a writer during one of the lowest points in the economy during the Reagan/Bush administrations, when the Seattle area was in a deep recession. Okay, so the politicians called it a little downturn in the economy, but for those living there during the ‘80s, it was anything but insignificant. More and more people were starting their own businesses because they had been laid off from jobs in the corporate world. Remember, this was the era of downturns in the fishing and logging economy, plus the savings and loan scandals and corporate takeovers—meaning more job losses. What do people just starting a business need most, no matter how small their enterprise? Publicity! What do newspapers and magazines want most during economic downturns? Stories about new and/or successful ventures. And that’s where you, as a writer, come in.
If you don’t know how to write a “news” or “press” release, read my book, Portable Writing to learn how. Also, read some of the articles in the business section of your local newspaper and you’ll spot stories based upon news releases. Almost all stories printed in the business section arrive on the editor’s desk via press releases. They tell about new ventures, what product or service they offer, who their customers are, and maybe a little about the background of the new business owner. Pay attention to what information is provided in the articles and develop a questionnaire for your clients based upon that information. Then write a news release about your own writing venture and mail it and a photo out to all the newspapers in your area. Remember, you’ll want publicity for your writing skills, too. Make it fascinating enough, and a local television station may want to cover it, too.
Sometimes the media uses press releases as written, and sometimes they expand the coverage into a long article, especially if the business is unusual or the only one of its type in the community. As a writer, it is up to you to write a release that plays up the significance of the business to the community.
A chapter in Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom covers news releases, and includes a sample copy of a press release that was published in magazines and newspapers. Other books on news releases are available at your library or through Booklocker.com and Amazon.com. You’ll need to know how to format a news release and what information to provide at the top of the page so that an interested editor can get in touch with your client, or you as their public relations representative (if you will also be fulfilling that role).
This is a great project to jumpstart your writing career—and before you know it—it will lead to so many more writing opportunities!
As you’re all probably aware by now, I’ve never depended solely upon income from published articles and books. Instead, I decided almost at the start of my career to also offer writing services to businesses. They need what we offer, and therein resides a great opportunity for all writers. And there’s no better time to offer writing services than during a recession.
I started as a writer during one of the lowest points in the economy during the Reagan/Bush administrations, when the Seattle area was in a deep recession. Okay, so the politicians called it a little downturn in the economy, but for those living there during the ‘80s, it was anything but insignificant. More and more people were starting their own businesses because they had been laid off from jobs in the corporate world. Remember, this was the era of downturns in the fishing and logging economy, plus the savings and loan scandals and corporate takeovers—meaning more job losses. What do people just starting a business need most, no matter how small their enterprise? Publicity! What do newspapers and magazines want most during economic downturns? Stories about new and/or successful ventures. And that’s where you, as a writer, come in.
If you don’t know how to write a “news” or “press” release, read my book, Portable Writing to learn how. Also, read some of the articles in the business section of your local newspaper and you’ll spot stories based upon news releases. Almost all stories printed in the business section arrive on the editor’s desk via press releases. They tell about new ventures, what product or service they offer, who their customers are, and maybe a little about the background of the new business owner. Pay attention to what information is provided in the articles and develop a questionnaire for your clients based upon that information. Then write a news release about your own writing venture and mail it and a photo out to all the newspapers in your area. Remember, you’ll want publicity for your writing skills, too. Make it fascinating enough, and a local television station may want to cover it, too.
Sometimes the media uses press releases as written, and sometimes they expand the coverage into a long article, especially if the business is unusual or the only one of its type in the community. As a writer, it is up to you to write a release that plays up the significance of the business to the community.
A chapter in Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom covers news releases, and includes a sample copy of a press release that was published in magazines and newspapers. Other books on news releases are available at your library or through Booklocker.com and Amazon.com. You’ll need to know how to format a news release and what information to provide at the top of the page so that an interested editor can get in touch with your client, or you as their public relations representative (if you will also be fulfilling that role).
This is a great project to jumpstart your writing career—and before you know it—it will lead to so many more writing opportunities!
“Over-the-Road Wireless For Dummies”
It was bound to happen eventually—a “Dummies” book for wireless service on the road. I haven’t personally seen a copy of this book, but ran across an ad for it in the RV Travel Online Newsletter this week. It sounds perfect for RVers who need to manage their investments or keep in touch with loved ones while on the road.
You’ll supposedly learn how to choose equipment for Internet access on the road, including how to choose a Wi-Fi service and locate hotspots as well as the many other services available while traveling. 364 pages. Go to this link to read a chapter from the book or order: http://rvbookstore.com/shop/detail.aspx?m=2&p=941.
It was bound to happen eventually—a “Dummies” book for wireless service on the road. I haven’t personally seen a copy of this book, but ran across an ad for it in the RV Travel Online Newsletter this week. It sounds perfect for RVers who need to manage their investments or keep in touch with loved ones while on the road.
You’ll supposedly learn how to choose equipment for Internet access on the road, including how to choose a Wi-Fi service and locate hotspots as well as the many other services available while traveling. 364 pages. Go to this link to read a chapter from the book or order: http://rvbookstore.com/shop/detail.aspx?m=2&p=941.
Photos of bighorns that greeted us by the entrance to the Canadian Rockies, and a photo of the bear that kept threatening a man trying to get too up-close and personal.
RVing the Canadian Rockies – Mom Sees a Bear in the Wild
Sweeping views of boundless scenery and amazing wildlife—those are what we remember from our trip through the Canadian Rockies. When we left Edmonton, we headed towards Jasper and as we entered the park, we saw our first bighorn sheep. They were in the road just outside the gate, wandering around like shaggy bums looking for handouts. Then we spotted some moose and our first bit of snow. Mom and hubby got out and threw snowballs at each other against a backdrop of moose and mountains. What a picture postcard setting that was.
Our first real crisis would involve Mom and her dream that night. She had attended church services at Shakers Acres the day before and the minister had told about a boy with some food in a tent in his backyard who was attacked and killed by a bear. So that’s what she dreamed about. “I sure hope we don’t see any bears,” she remarked as we sat at a picnic table at our campsite in the thick woods, enjoying breakfast.
Later as we drove through spectacular scenery, we suddenly spotted a black bear by the side of the road eating dandelions. No cars were parked on our side of the road, so we pulled the motorhome over to watch. A couple of cars had already pulled up on the other side, and two guys were out in the middle of the road trying to get pictures. One had his camera on a tripod and kept inching closer and closer to the bear.
I decided I had to get out of the motorhome to get some pictures, only I’m not your average idiot. I planned to stay behind the RV and use my telephoto lens! As I grabbed the camera, Mom screamed in a terrified voice, “You’re not going out there, are you?”
“Of course I am,” I replied. “The bear’s got enough bait right there in the middle of the road. He won’t be interested in me.” I hurried out the door and positioned myself behind the back of the motorhome where I could make a quick getaway if needed.
Well by this time, that bear was getting real irritated with the guy who kept moving closer to it, so it charged him. When the man backed up a few feet with his tripod, the bear turned and went back to its dandelions. However, the numbskull with the tripod kept pushing his luck, and the bear made a few more running, threatening steps towards him. Then it made a sudden turn and slowly ambled my direction. By this time, several cars had pulled up behind us and stopped to watch. As I backed up and turned to go in, I bumped into Mom, who had plastered herself against my back so she could watch over my shoulder.
We got untangled and headed inside, but not before the bear sashayed past us as if we were the least of its worries. I guess it knew it was outnumbered, so it simply strolled between the vehicles to get to the huge meadow on our side of the road where it didn’t have to put up with the curious crowd of gawkers.
Mom had seen her bear and unlike her dream, she had survived it. We continued our trip down to Lake Louise, Banff, and on to Radium Hot Springs before heading back to Washington State. The only other critters we saw were mountain goats, marmots and some tiny chipmunks that came up to us at Lake Louise. All the wildlife helped create wonderful memories of the trip.
Mom was in her late seventies then, and this wouldn’t be her last excursion with us. Her next short trip with us would infuriate her and provide hysterical laughter for us and some museum employees in Montana.
Personalizing Your RV’s Interior
While many people are happy with their new motorhome, travel trailer or 5th wheel’s interior, sometimes it needs tweaking to fit the new buyer. And sometimes, it doesn’t fit the buyer’s need at all. If you’ve been shopping for a new RV and can’t find one that suits your purposes, sometimes it’s more economical to shop for a used RV and redesign the interior to fit your own needs. That’s what we did the first time we bought a motorhome.
It quickly became apparent that no new vehicle was going to have the furnishings and accessories we desired, so we shopped for an older, top-of-the-line motorhome that we could furnish to suit us. Our “new” motorhome had orange shag carpeting, woven wood blinds, orange striped furniture, and it held an icemaker and a curved banquette that we didn’t need. It had been a party machine owned by a businessman who used it to entertain. Bought at a reasonable price, we felt no sadness at ripping out the previous owner’s favorite pieces and replacing them with furnishings that fit our lifestyle.
First, we ripped out the carpeting and had it replaced with commercial grade plush carpeting in a taupe color with an occasional blue thread. Since we already had the furniture out to replace the carpeting, we sent driving seats and the sofa out to be reupholstered in a taupe, cream and blue patterned fabric. Next, we threw away the dusty woven woods and replaced them with peach colored blinds, and we covered the dark wood paneled walls with a light-colored, textured wallcovering. The kitchen didn’t need much since it had a rust colored tile backsplash, neutral counter tops and good appliances, including a built-in blender and ice crusher (from its party days). We bought an occasional chair in taupe, and moved our computer desk in where the icemaker had been. The dining banquette was torn out (except for the seating section over the furnace), and replaced with a 2-drawer file cabinet. The space over the seat and furnace was used for storage, so we covered the entire top with a counter top (extra working space) and a cupboard door to hide stored items.
We ended up with a motorhome that was brighter by far on the inside than the original, and with a metal body (remember those?) that when polished, shone like a new RV. Plus, we now had space for the desk I would need, and for the computer, printer, and office supplies that were necessary to run my business on the road. It would take a few more years for technology to catch up with us so that we could keep in touch by cell phone, and for the Internet to become public, but until then, we managed by pay phone and snail mail.
Next time I’ll talk about changing a few things inside a new RV to make it more workable for you, and upgrading interiors when they become shabby after too many miles of enjoying them. I’ll also include a few photos of our changes.
While many people are happy with their new motorhome, travel trailer or 5th wheel’s interior, sometimes it needs tweaking to fit the new buyer. And sometimes, it doesn’t fit the buyer’s need at all. If you’ve been shopping for a new RV and can’t find one that suits your purposes, sometimes it’s more economical to shop for a used RV and redesign the interior to fit your own needs. That’s what we did the first time we bought a motorhome.
It quickly became apparent that no new vehicle was going to have the furnishings and accessories we desired, so we shopped for an older, top-of-the-line motorhome that we could furnish to suit us. Our “new” motorhome had orange shag carpeting, woven wood blinds, orange striped furniture, and it held an icemaker and a curved banquette that we didn’t need. It had been a party machine owned by a businessman who used it to entertain. Bought at a reasonable price, we felt no sadness at ripping out the previous owner’s favorite pieces and replacing them with furnishings that fit our lifestyle.
First, we ripped out the carpeting and had it replaced with commercial grade plush carpeting in a taupe color with an occasional blue thread. Since we already had the furniture out to replace the carpeting, we sent driving seats and the sofa out to be reupholstered in a taupe, cream and blue patterned fabric. Next, we threw away the dusty woven woods and replaced them with peach colored blinds, and we covered the dark wood paneled walls with a light-colored, textured wallcovering. The kitchen didn’t need much since it had a rust colored tile backsplash, neutral counter tops and good appliances, including a built-in blender and ice crusher (from its party days). We bought an occasional chair in taupe, and moved our computer desk in where the icemaker had been. The dining banquette was torn out (except for the seating section over the furnace), and replaced with a 2-drawer file cabinet. The space over the seat and furnace was used for storage, so we covered the entire top with a counter top (extra working space) and a cupboard door to hide stored items.
We ended up with a motorhome that was brighter by far on the inside than the original, and with a metal body (remember those?) that when polished, shone like a new RV. Plus, we now had space for the desk I would need, and for the computer, printer, and office supplies that were necessary to run my business on the road. It would take a few more years for technology to catch up with us so that we could keep in touch by cell phone, and for the Internet to become public, but until then, we managed by pay phone and snail mail.
Next time I’ll talk about changing a few things inside a new RV to make it more workable for you, and upgrading interiors when they become shabby after too many miles of enjoying them. I’ll also include a few photos of our changes.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
NEW ARTICLES
Writing opportunities come in all forms, including those that aren’t necessarily conventional. Below is an article on the Artist in Residence in National Parks program with a link to find more information on these unique opportunities along with a list of the National Parks that participate. These are wonderful possibilities to find creative inspiration in a new setting, and another experience to add to your writing resumé.
There is also a short piece about a t-shirt that alerts you when you are within range of a Wi-Fi site (great for travelers looking for a place to hook-up to the Internet), and a story about my mother-in-law and her first RV trip with us to Canada.
Next week (Feb. 11th), I’ll be going down to the Gypsy Caravan get-together in Casa Grande to take some copies of my books, which will be sold at the author’s co-op booth.
Writing opportunities come in all forms, including those that aren’t necessarily conventional. Below is an article on the Artist in Residence in National Parks program with a link to find more information on these unique opportunities along with a list of the National Parks that participate. These are wonderful possibilities to find creative inspiration in a new setting, and another experience to add to your writing resumé.
There is also a short piece about a t-shirt that alerts you when you are within range of a Wi-Fi site (great for travelers looking for a place to hook-up to the Internet), and a story about my mother-in-law and her first RV trip with us to Canada.
Next week (Feb. 11th), I’ll be going down to the Gypsy Caravan get-together in Casa Grande to take some copies of my books, which will be sold at the author’s co-op booth.
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
The National Park Services offers opportunities for two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, performers, writers, composers, and craft artists to live and work in the parks. There are currently 29 parks participating in the Artist-In-Residence program, although a few only want visual artists. In most cases, housing is available. You may need to provide samples of your work and references, but contact the parks you are interested in to determine their needs, duties you’ll be expected to perform, accommodations, dates of residency, etc. Get more information at: www.nps.gov/archive/volunteer/air.htm.
NOTE: Voyageurs National Park posted a comment that funding was cut for 2007, so this residency may not be available there for 2008. Funding to national parks has been deeply cut, so some of the other sites listed below may no longer offer the artist-in-residence program. Check at the contact addresses below to determine if they are offering the program for 2008.
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at Acadia_Information@nps.gov or call 207-288-3338, "O" for operator.
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Acadia National Park, PO Box 177, Eagle Lake Road, Bar Harbor, Maine USA 04609
AMISTAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, Texas
Contact: AIR Coordinator at 830-775-7491 ext. 211 MST or eric_finkelstein@nps.gov
For additional information, see out website at www.nps.gov/amis/supportyourpark/air.htm or write: Artist-In-Residence Program, 4121 Veterans Blvd., Del Rio, Texas USA 78840
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK, South Dakota
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator, 605-433-5245 MST or badl_information@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Badlands NP, PO Box 6, Interior, South Dakota USA 57750
BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER, Arkansas
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 870-741-5443 CST or buff_information@nps.gov Complete details and application form are available at www.nps.gov/buff
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Buffalo National River, 402 N. Walnut, Suite 136, Harrison, Arkansas USA 72601
CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE, Massachusetts
This national seashore hosts two individual residency programs.
Contact: Tom Boland, Residency Coordinator, at tomboland@mediaone.net
For additional information, write: Provincetown Community Compact, Inc., PO Box 819, Provincetown, Massachusetts USA 02657 (Include a 52-cent stamped self-addressed envelope)
Contact: Send a 52-cent self-addressed stamped envelope to OCARC, 22 Nelson Avenue, Provincetown, Massachusetts USA 02657
CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Ohio
Contact: Mary Pat Doorley, Cultural Arts Program Manager, at 440-546-5995 CST, or mary_pat_doorley@nps.gov or Joni Starr, Summer Camp & Arts Director, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association, 330-657-2796 ext. 114 or jstarr@cvnpa.org
For additional information, call 800-642-3297 or write: CVEEC Artist-In-Residence Program, 3675 Oak Hill Road, Peninsula, Ohio USA 44264
DELAWARE WATER GAP NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, New Jersey
Peters Valley Craft Education CenterContact: Peters Valley at 973-948-5200 EST or pv@warwick.net
For additional information, write: Peters Valley Craft Education Center, 19 Kuhn Road, Layton, New Jersey USA 07851
DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, Alaska
Contact: Denali Headquarters at 907-683-2294 AST or DENA_Info@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, Alaska USA 99755
DEVILS TOWER NATIONAL MONUMENT, Wyoming
Contact: Christine Czazasty at 307-467-5283, ext. 224, MST or christine_czazasty@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Writers-In-Residence Program, Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, Montana, USA 82714 or Bearlodge Writers, PO Box 10, Devils Tower, Wyoming USA 82714
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Florida
Contact: AIRIE Program Coordinator, 305-242-7750 EST or EVER_Interpretation@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence-In-Everglades, Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034. AIRIE applications are available on-line at: http://www.nps.gov/ever/supportyourpark/artistinresidence.htm
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, Montana
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 406-888-7942 MST or matt_graves@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Glacier National Park, P.O. Box 128, West Glacier, Montana USA 59936
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, California
Headlands Center for the ArtsResidencies open to: California, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Ohio two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, performers, writers, video/filmmakers, composers (Each state has individual eligibility requirements)
Contact: Holly Blake at 415-331-2787, ext. 24, PST or hblake@headlands.org
For additional information, write: Holly Blake, Residency Manager, Headlands Center for the Arts, 944 Fort Barry, Sausalito, California USA 94965
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, North Rim, Arizona
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 928-638-7739
For additional information, write: Coordinator, Artist-In-Residence Program, P.O. Box 129, Community Building, Grand Canyon, AZ USA 86023
HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL HISTORICAL SITE, Iowa
Contact: Adam Prato at 319-643-7855 CST
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Herbert Hoover National Historical Site, 110 Parkside Drive, PO Box 607, West Branch, Iowa USA 52358
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas
Contact: Jeff Heitzman at 501-620-6707 or HOSP_Interpretation@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, attn: Volunteer Coordinator, Hot Springs National Park, 101 Reserve Street, Hot Springs, AR USA 71901
ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK, Michigan
Contact: Greg Blust at 906-487-7152 EDT or greg_blust@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Isle Royale National Park, 800 East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, Michigan USA 49931-1895
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, California
Contact: Tim Terrell at 760-367-5539 PST or artmojave@aol.com
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park Drive, Twenty-Nine Palms, California USA 92277
NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK, Washington
For additional information: Brochure
For application information: Application
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colorado
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 970-586-1206 MST
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, 1000 Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado USA 80517
SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE, Michigan
Contact: Lisa Myers at 231-326-5134 or lisa_myers@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 9922 Front Street, Empire, Michigan USA 49630
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, Minnesota
Contact: Teri Tucker at 218-283-9821 CST or teri_tucker@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Voyageurs National Park, 3131 Highway 53, International Falls, Minnesota USA 56649-8904
The National Park Services offers opportunities for two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, performers, writers, composers, and craft artists to live and work in the parks. There are currently 29 parks participating in the Artist-In-Residence program, although a few only want visual artists. In most cases, housing is available. You may need to provide samples of your work and references, but contact the parks you are interested in to determine their needs, duties you’ll be expected to perform, accommodations, dates of residency, etc. Get more information at: www.nps.gov/archive/volunteer/air.htm.
NOTE: Voyageurs National Park posted a comment that funding was cut for 2007, so this residency may not be available there for 2008. Funding to national parks has been deeply cut, so some of the other sites listed below may no longer offer the artist-in-residence program. Check at the contact addresses below to determine if they are offering the program for 2008.
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at Acadia_Information@nps.gov or call 207-288-3338, "O" for operator.
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Acadia National Park, PO Box 177, Eagle Lake Road, Bar Harbor, Maine USA 04609
AMISTAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, Texas
Contact: AIR Coordinator at 830-775-7491 ext. 211 MST or eric_finkelstein@nps.gov
For additional information, see out website at www.nps.gov/amis/supportyourpark/air.htm or write: Artist-In-Residence Program, 4121 Veterans Blvd., Del Rio, Texas USA 78840
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK, South Dakota
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator, 605-433-5245 MST or badl_information@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Badlands NP, PO Box 6, Interior, South Dakota USA 57750
BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER, Arkansas
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 870-741-5443 CST or buff_information@nps.gov Complete details and application form are available at www.nps.gov/buff
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Buffalo National River, 402 N. Walnut, Suite 136, Harrison, Arkansas USA 72601
CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE, Massachusetts
This national seashore hosts two individual residency programs.
Contact: Tom Boland, Residency Coordinator, at tomboland@mediaone.net
For additional information, write: Provincetown Community Compact, Inc., PO Box 819, Provincetown, Massachusetts USA 02657 (Include a 52-cent stamped self-addressed envelope)
Contact: Send a 52-cent self-addressed stamped envelope to OCARC, 22 Nelson Avenue, Provincetown, Massachusetts USA 02657
CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Ohio
Contact: Mary Pat Doorley, Cultural Arts Program Manager, at 440-546-5995 CST, or mary_pat_doorley@nps.gov or Joni Starr, Summer Camp & Arts Director, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association, 330-657-2796 ext. 114 or jstarr@cvnpa.org
For additional information, call 800-642-3297 or write: CVEEC Artist-In-Residence Program, 3675 Oak Hill Road, Peninsula, Ohio USA 44264
DELAWARE WATER GAP NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, New Jersey
Peters Valley Craft Education CenterContact: Peters Valley at 973-948-5200 EST or pv@warwick.net
For additional information, write: Peters Valley Craft Education Center, 19 Kuhn Road, Layton, New Jersey USA 07851
DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, Alaska
Contact: Denali Headquarters at 907-683-2294 AST or DENA_Info@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, Alaska USA 99755
DEVILS TOWER NATIONAL MONUMENT, Wyoming
Contact: Christine Czazasty at 307-467-5283, ext. 224, MST or christine_czazasty@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Writers-In-Residence Program, Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, Montana, USA 82714 or Bearlodge Writers, PO Box 10, Devils Tower, Wyoming USA 82714
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Florida
Contact: AIRIE Program Coordinator, 305-242-7750 EST or EVER_Interpretation@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence-In-Everglades, Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034. AIRIE applications are available on-line at: http://www.nps.gov/ever/supportyourpark/artistinresidence.htm
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, Montana
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 406-888-7942 MST or matt_graves@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Glacier National Park, P.O. Box 128, West Glacier, Montana USA 59936
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, California
Headlands Center for the ArtsResidencies open to: California, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Ohio two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, performers, writers, video/filmmakers, composers (Each state has individual eligibility requirements)
Contact: Holly Blake at 415-331-2787, ext. 24, PST or hblake@headlands.org
For additional information, write: Holly Blake, Residency Manager, Headlands Center for the Arts, 944 Fort Barry, Sausalito, California USA 94965
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, North Rim, Arizona
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 928-638-7739
For additional information, write: Coordinator, Artist-In-Residence Program, P.O. Box 129, Community Building, Grand Canyon, AZ USA 86023
HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL HISTORICAL SITE, Iowa
Contact: Adam Prato at 319-643-7855 CST
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Herbert Hoover National Historical Site, 110 Parkside Drive, PO Box 607, West Branch, Iowa USA 52358
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas
Contact: Jeff Heitzman at 501-620-6707 or HOSP_Interpretation@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, attn: Volunteer Coordinator, Hot Springs National Park, 101 Reserve Street, Hot Springs, AR USA 71901
ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK, Michigan
Contact: Greg Blust at 906-487-7152 EDT or greg_blust@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Isle Royale National Park, 800 East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, Michigan USA 49931-1895
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, California
Contact: Tim Terrell at 760-367-5539 PST or artmojave@aol.com
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park Drive, Twenty-Nine Palms, California USA 92277
NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK, Washington
For additional information: Brochure
For application information: Application
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colorado
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 970-586-1206 MST
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, 1000 Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado USA 80517
SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE, Michigan
Contact: Lisa Myers at 231-326-5134 or lisa_myers@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 9922 Front Street, Empire, Michigan USA 49630
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, Minnesota
Contact: Teri Tucker at 218-283-9821 CST or teri_tucker@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Voyageurs National Park, 3131 Highway 53, International Falls, Minnesota USA 56649-8904
In my book, “Looking Back,” I wrote about some of the challenges facing our nation, including the rising cost of healthcare and the lack of availability of basic healthcare for the uninsured. I mentioned that it was cheaper to fly to India and other foreign countries for surgery than to have in here. Below is information from a recent article that appeared in “AARP Bulletin.” Who knew that in some instances, traveling to a foreign country was cheaper than even paying the co-pay on insurance?
OVERSEAS FOR OPERATIONS?
Recently AARP Bulletin had an article about traveling to places like Indonesia for major surgery. Costs can be dramatically less than even the out-of-pocket expenses for the same operation in the U.S. For example, a spinal stenosis surgery for one man cost $4,618.03. It would have cost him at least $14,000 out-of-pocket in the U.S. Other countries that cater to U.S. citizens needing surgery are India, Singapore, Hungary, South Africa, Dubai, Cosa Rica and Brazil. Thailand is the most popular choice. There are downsides, of course, such as limited or no legal recourse in the case of negligence. There are now books on medical tourism and agencies that will book your trip! Read the whole story and find resources at http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourhealth/traveling_for_treatment.html
Reprinted from "RV Lifestyles" a free ezine featuring tips and resources about the RV lifestyle. Visit http://www.rvhometown.com for subscription information, back issues, and more RV information.
OVERSEAS FOR OPERATIONS?
Recently AARP Bulletin had an article about traveling to places like Indonesia for major surgery. Costs can be dramatically less than even the out-of-pocket expenses for the same operation in the U.S. For example, a spinal stenosis surgery for one man cost $4,618.03. It would have cost him at least $14,000 out-of-pocket in the U.S. Other countries that cater to U.S. citizens needing surgery are India, Singapore, Hungary, South Africa, Dubai, Cosa Rica and Brazil. Thailand is the most popular choice. There are downsides, of course, such as limited or no legal recourse in the case of negligence. There are now books on medical tourism and agencies that will book your trip! Read the whole story and find resources at http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourhealth/traveling_for_treatment.html
Reprinted from "RV Lifestyles" a free ezine featuring tips and resources about the RV lifestyle. Visit http://www.rvhometown.com for subscription information, back issues, and more RV information.
WI-FI DETECTOR T-SHIRT
Now there’s a t-shirt that alerts wearers (and anyone standing nearby) that a Wi-Fi signal is available. No need to crack open your laptop to check for a signal. The bars on the front of the shirt glows and are animated, changing as Wi-Fi signal strength fluctuates.
While a clever idea that would certainly appeal to techies and computer geeks among us, you would have to either own several of the shirts (cost $29.99), or wash and wear daily. Washing involves removing a decal and unplugging the battery pack. Order and see a sample at the Website: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/generic/991e/.
Now there’s a t-shirt that alerts wearers (and anyone standing nearby) that a Wi-Fi signal is available. No need to crack open your laptop to check for a signal. The bars on the front of the shirt glows and are animated, changing as Wi-Fi signal strength fluctuates.
While a clever idea that would certainly appeal to techies and computer geeks among us, you would have to either own several of the shirts (cost $29.99), or wash and wear daily. Washing involves removing a decal and unplugging the battery pack. Order and see a sample at the Website: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/generic/991e/.
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