...I thought I would be able to blog on Joan's list of blogging, all icky broke loose at my place. Icky? That's where it started and then ended up in the sands of time sunk into the internet, insurance claim, shopping for replacements, discovery of Oh, My, GAWD!! moment, complete blind crying panic, and hours of uploading, tech support, and beating my head against the wall when no one is looking. I had to start hiding my condition as close family members were beginning to worry and mutter about intervention..........
I shall not bore you with details. I shall not beat my head against the wall for the next hour. I shall not berate myself for my past behavior as it is in the past. I shall not continue in my past ways. Now I have your interest. What past ways? Hmmm? As a writer you worry about your writing, how it is coming along, will it ever be finished, will someone else care to read it, etc. You also worry over where to keep it safe and how the best way to do so is. I can now speak authoritatively about the safety issue. There are three basic problems to writerly storage. 1. Keeping the revisions straight or which one is the master copy? 2. Keeping the copies in ONE place. 3. Keeping the copies safe. About the ONE place, in the last two years I have revised several copies of my WIP without realizing they weren't the same copy. 'Crapfeathers' doesn't adequately describe my mood when I discovered this. After the discovery much time was spent straightening out that situation. Did I say 'much'? I mean a horrendous loss of time was sunk into that hole. However, I prevailed. I also realized, after reading about a check Colorado bank hit by a tornado ending up in Nebraska, for goodness sake, I decided that a backup copy of my work saved in my home would not help in a 'Gone with the Wind' situation. So, I purchased Carbonite backup services. Now assured of an off site copy, I proceeded to make sure that all of my work would, no-matter-what, be saved so I created a file and put it directly in the Programs-C drive of my computer--little realizing that Carbonite doesn't backup the program portion of a computer (this keeps them from backing up viruses and other problems). They only backup data. This discovery was after Lightning struck the house and killed random electronics including the computer, various printers, and other odd things. You will need, to be very sure all is well, that your files on your computer in good order. A backup close to you, I opted on a four terabyte easy-to-use one. An online backup, mine took seven days each time to download into my computer-twice-don't ask. (my fault not Carbonite, those people are wonderful) How it all works: Carbonite continuously backs up whatever you've directed it to backup. This is for your apocalypse conditions (lightning strike) where you can spare a couple of weeks of download time. The huge backup is for the occasional backup that you can put in it that will allow a quicker download (five hours) for your stuff to load into the new computer. You can also remember to unplug it so that lightning can't get to it unless you're using it. I had to be out of commission for six weeks. Had to send off for my hard drives to be rescued and am still trying to find a printer that works like my old one. Trust me, save your sanity, backup, backup to only one file in your computer, back up your system to a large drive in intervals you don't mind recreating, and backup on-line. If you can't see your way clear to an on-line automated service, then consider two large backups, one that resides off site and can be switched often. A one terabyte backup by passport will fit in your palm. I gotta go now and work some more getting the office back together. Save yourself. You'be been warned. If you find me wandering around, bring me in with soft words, find some chocolate, and ply me with a margarita...and don't ask how the computer is coming.
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wo questions for this month. What is the best blog you ever read? Why? What is the best blog you ever wrote? Why? It took me a bit to find the blog I thought I remembered. It was posted on the old WARA blog by Rox Delaney December 28, 2012. It’s Almost Time . . . (http://warawriters.blogspot.com/2012/12/its-almost-time.html) What made it the best blog for me? It started with something with which we can all commiserate. It had a light touch and evoked a few chuckles. Then it got down to business by listing points for setting and reaching goals. Rox went into depth on the points. The explanations were concise and motivating. It ended with uplifting words and a quote: “Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.” - Oprah Winfrey It wasn’t until I read the quote that I realized how much Oprah’s words apply to us and the blog. It may not be the end of a year but it is another beginning. Now for the harder part--my best blog. “Why did I ever come up with this topic?” I ask myself as I bang my head against the keyboard. I have trouble at times believing anything I write is good. Choosing a “best?” I scanned through several of the blogs I’ve posted over the years and decided on one from April 6, 2012 Inspire? Entertain? Humor? All and More! (http://warawriters.blogspot.com/2012/04/inspire-entertain-humor-all-and-more.html) Why best? It shows my passion --my appreciation for the lives of real men and women from the Napoleonic Wars. They are my inspiration and often the driving force behind my writing. This blog shows a “me” I usually keep hidden. No one really wants to hear historic information not matter how excited I might be about it. I was surprise when I reread what I had written and saw both blogs came from 2012. That is totally accidental as I cruised through all the years. (In 2012 we had 88 blogs posted down from our all-time high of 132 in 2009.) But back to “best.” Best is authentic, real. I can’t wait to read about the blogs you chose as best and those you picked as your best! “Cheers to . . . another chance for us to get it right.” - Oprah Winfrey |
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