What We’re Doing to Make Ourselves Sick...

WARNING:  This is a no-edit zone...

Writers are in a sedentary profession.   Most of us these days do the majority of our writing at a desk on a computer screen.  In many professions, we spend a lot of time sitting.  And, according to a physician who spoke on this yesterday, it's contributing (about 75%) to making us sick and killing us.  What exactly did he tag it?  Inactivity.

We eat too much, eat the wrong things (those pumped full of sugar and chemicals) and we don't exercise.

When I heard this, I wanted to groan.  For a long time, I embraced a "never deliberately sweat" attitude, which is bad, but when you live in the south, remember that there are about five months a year when walking outside is like getting slapped in the face with a wet washcloth.  If you live here, in the long summer, you stand still outside and you sweat bucketsful.   It is in spite of this that I love the south, which has many wonderful qualities, but not sweating isn't among them unless you play hermit and never go outside.

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Tags:  illness, lifestyle, diet, fitness, inaction, sedentary lifestyle, authors, writing, novelists, writers, creative writing, reading, books, activity

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DEAL WITH IT--STRESS!
Category: Writing and Poetry

WARNING: This is a no-edit zone...

In the last week, every email that I've gotten from those who read this blog has related to crisis and stress. Understandable, considering.

Stress either builds slowly over time or comes on like a gangbuster and body slams you. Either way, we know that stress kills. Many try to ignore what has them stressed. They deny, rationalize, ignore, suppress, or otherwise attempt to hide from the stress factors that are burdening them.

It doesn't work. And the impairments that come with it impact you emotionally, spiritually and physically. There is no calm, peace, serenity and the physical body rebels against all those things. You see headaches, body aches even nausea and colon challenges. The entire body can be impacted and tossed into turmoil.

What does work?

Dealing with the stress.

How do you do that?

Get physical.
Exercise releases endorphins that counter the chemical imbalance stress brings on.

Get rested.
Weariness and exhaustion destroys our ability to make calm, rational decisions or to set our course of actions.

Get smart.
Whether your worries are personal, your private business, your professional business, the nation's business--get informed. It's impossible to make wise choices when you don't know the details. When you understand the challenge, then you can focus on the solution.

Making that shift--from the challenge to the solution is paramount in lowering your stress level. Why? Because command of the matter gives you confidence that the decisions you make will be good ones, seated in wisdom.

These are stressful times and they're going to get worse before they get better. Every generation has its challenges, and this one is no exception. That isn't always a bad thing. It's not pleasant, but challenges have value. If we elect not to ignore but to deal with these challenges, we often discover what we stand for, what we will not stand for. We discover our strengths, our character.

We discover ourselves . . .

Blessings,

Vicki

Vicki Hinze
www.vickihinze.com

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Author-Media Common Bonds
Category: Writing and Poetry

WARNING: This is a no-edit zone...

When writing a novel, the author guides readers in their emotional responses and reactions to what is occurring in the events through multiple means. A few center around the details they choose to include. The way in which they include them, the character they select to include them, and both the character's reaction and the other characters' reactions to those details. The media is skilled in these things and offers much for writers to learn.

Many authors haven't considered these bonds but they are significant and can be extremely useful to the author. For example: READ MORE

Tags: media, authors, writers, novelists, books, novels, creative writing, characterization

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The Power of Clarity

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BAD DEAL Bailout for Taxpayers
Category: Blogging

WARNING: This is a no-edit zone--and I'm one ticked-off-American.

Typically, I avoid discussing politics. But no American who has heard about this $700 BILLION bailout being shoved down taxpayers' throats can deny it's too significant to not be on everyone's mind this morning. I'm no exception.

I have a serious problem with this intended course of action. For those not up on this, here's a quick rundown of events.

Lenders made mortgages they knew people couldn't afford. Lots and lots of them. These loans were backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government entities that urged Lenders to make these loans. (See that on the entities' websites.)
The lenders then sold these bad loans to other lenders.
Surprise! The borrowers default. Lots and lots of them.
Multiple lawmakers warn Congressional leadership that Fannie and Freddie are in trouble; they're going to crash and burn. (2003-2007)
Warnings are denied by Barney Frank, responsible for oversight on this committee. (2003)
Fannie and Freddie crash and burn--and we the taxpayers bail them out. Now we (the taxpayers) own (and are responsible for) lots and lots of worthless paper.
Lenders become insolvent and fail. And more are in dire jeopardy of failing.
Then comes the bailout.


Now Congress wants the taxpayer to pick up $700 BILLION of debt that isn't ours. (By ours, I mean the taxpayers who pay their bills, live within their means and haven't lied to obtain loans they couldn't afford.) Congress is going to oversee this project. (Not reassuring, considering they were overseeing Fran and Freddie.) They're going to stagger the payout to $350 BILLION. If that's well managed (by a government entity), then troubled lenders get the rest.

(Does anyone believe the government functions efficiently? Has it ever?)

Steel yourself even more because...

The 3-page document grew to over 100 pages and it's stuffed with PORK.

That pork includes 20% payback going to "community organizations" (like ACORN, who is under federal investigation across the country for VOTER FRAUD). It's well hidden, but it's there.

In a crisis where we the taxpayer are getting shafted, lawmakers shaft us even further. It's appalling. Unacceptable. And my cookies are totally frosted.

I've written my Senators and Congressman already.

If they vote for this bailout, I'm voting against them.

I am not convinced we need this bailout. In fact, I strongly oppose it. But if we must do something, then why not do something logical that puts the responsibility where it belongs--on the lenders?

Why not set up an FHA mortage insurance type program and insure the mortgages? The lenders who made these bad loans pay for the mortgage insurance; their greed and bad judgment did this; them paying for the mortgage insurance is just. The taxpayer still gets popped, but it's for 30 Billion not 700 Billion and we will not have to buy all the mortgages they made. $30 BILLION is bad but it's a far, far better solution than sticking us with $700 Billion of debt, and it calms down the market.)

Voting for this bailout, in my opinion, is sticking it to Americans. Adding pork to it is sticking it to us again. Adding insult to injury.

That's not just appalling, it's a betrayal of the public trust.

And enough is enough--at least, for me. I've had it with this nonsense. Vote yes to putting this monkey on my back (and the backs of my children and grandchildren) and add pork to make bad even worse, and my response is going to be me grabbing a broom. It's time to clean house. If you're in office, I'm voting you out.

That's my reaction. Yours well might be different.

Whatever your opinion is let your leaders know. They need to hear from all of us BEFORE they act so they know that while they were asleep at the wheel in protecting us, we are wide awake and watching.

Here's a link where you can email your representatives:

For the SENATE: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For the HOUSE: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

Blessings,

Vicki
One hard-working, ticked-off American

2:23 PM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

CRITIQUES
Category: Writing and Poetry

© 1996-2008, Vicki Hinze

Giving or receiving a critique is supposed to be helpful to the author of a work. A positive experience that encourages growth and gives the author an objective (if subjective) opinion on the work.

To truly be effective and an absolute valuable asset, a writer needs to know what is right as well as what needs work. Both are equally significant.

All too often writers who believe they want a critique want praise. We all want our work to be well received, but the purpose of a critique is to get input on taking steps to make the work even better and stronger to make it more well received.

So here are a few guidelines to assist in achieving that goal: READ MORE



Take my survey at www.vickihinze.com
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Tags: critique, creative writing, criticism, constructive criticism, writing, author, novelist, writer, books, novels, stories, storytelling

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Today’s Tip: Remember the Ordinary
Category: Writing and Poetry

WARNING: This is a no-edit zone...

When we're writing, it's easy to get into the fray of the conflict and goals. To focus on getting key character traits into the work through actions and deeds. To get that forward momentum going and get to the point.

But often we leave out the ordinary. I'm not talking about inconsequential, mundane dialogue. That should be omitted, because while we emulate real life "talk," we realize that much of it is boring and insignificant. It's "chat." Snippets of chat can be useful, if purposeful, but too much and we lose the reader.

So what do I mean: Remember the Ordinary? And where and how do you include it?

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P.S.
SURVEY









Tags: writing tips, ordinary things, details, characterization, bonding, authors, writers, novels, books, writing, creative writing, authenticity, real fiction, vicki hinze, writers library

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Take the Survey!
Category: Art and Photography

WARNING: This is a no-edit zone....

I want to know what you think. Please pause a moment to take my survey.
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Tag: survey, books, readers, writers, authors, novelists, writing, vicki hinze, booksellers, libraries

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MySpace IMPACT / PayPal fundraising widget

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Stork Alert!
Category: Writing and Poetry

The stork has landed...

I'll be out a few days. :)

Blessings,
Vicki

8:18 PM - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment