July 2012 – Write From Karen

BlogHer Bingo

July 31, 2012July 29, 2012 Karen

One of my favorite bloggers posted this on her blog the other day …

… and it made me laugh.

Because it’s SO TRUE!!

Interestingly enough, she didn’t get very many comments about it – in fact, I’m not even sure one person commented on it and I was surprised, though I guess I shouldn’t have been because when it comes to these blog conferences, people tend to keep their opinions to themselves and follow the herd.

Why is that?? Are bloggers afraid they will be labeled a troublemaker and an outcast because they dare to disagree with the “popular” bloggers?

Me? I could care less. I have no desire to be part of any blogging group and I like being an outsider, if you want the truth. It’s interesting to watch the drama from the other side of the looking glass and I think it gives me a unique perspective … it’s called REALITY.

In case you have no idea what I’m talking about … BlogHer is coming up. And every time this blogging conference comes around, you start seeing all sorts of posts and tweets about … well, the subjects you see in the bingo card. It’s all about the DRAMA and WHO’S FRIENDS WITH WHOM, and OH MY GOSH – THE SWAG!! It’s all about the social aspect of blogging, and belonging, and the ass kissing, and who can make a bigger fool out of herself, etc., etc., …

Honestly? These blog conferences are pretty much wash, rinse, repeat. There is nothing new about them. They are the same group of women who get together once/twice a year in an effort to re-establish/validate their online personalities and to shun a select few who dare to disagree with them, or criticize them … the whole process truly boggles my mind, if you want the truth.

I can understand the interest in learning more about the business side of blogging, or wanting to learn to be a more compelling writer, or how to take better pictures or any other educational aspect of blogging … but the social part of this huge sorority party?

Leaves me ice cold.

“I didn’t make a new card this year, but I have a whole new list of aggravations. I’ve noticed this… phenomenon lately. I’m starting to wonder if people… well, not people. If a certain kind of set of people – NOT specific people, I have NO specific people in mind – if people realize that the blog world, the INTERNET world, is way way WAY bigger than BlogHer.

Like, BlogHer as a conference does not encompass all bloggers, of course. And BlogHer as a network of blogs does not encompass but a FRACTION of bloggers. A fraction of even the TYPES of blogs that are out there. And a tiny SLICE of the kinds of communities that are out there. That a niche blog in the BlogHer type of sphere talking about “how things are” in the world of blogging is actually a kind of a laughable concept because it’s just the tiniest little bit of what’s out there.

It’s so insulated from how things are, from what things are that I can’t take it – ANYONE – seriously, especially as you see people taking themselves more and more seriously. It’s always been huge all around you, and it’s GROWING all around you, and you’re all just going more and more insular. You’re MISSING IT.”
from Temerity Jane

It’s not about making friends, it’s about establishing a popularity pecking order. I think if these blog conference founders were really serious about bringing a blogging community together, they would discourage the regular – OH MY GAWD YOU LOOK FABULOUS KISSY KISSY – bloggers and encourage lesser-known bloggers who would bring fresh, and likely more relevant, ideas to the blogging community. Instead, you have the same group of women, conference after conference after conference, showing up, putting on a show, making fools out of themselves, reading the same types of blog posts from the same type of bloggers time and again … I mean honestly? Blog conferences have become boring and predictable and YAWN.

Don’t believe me? Tell you what – on August 2-4, open up your Twitter and keep a watch on the #BlogHer12 hashtag. Every time you see something from the BINGO card, mark it – I’m betting you get one, if not several, BINGO’s in less than 30 minutes.

THAT’S how predictable these conferences are nowadays.

How about starting a blog conference for only new blogger personalities? The regular “old-timer bloggers” can skip the conferences, thereby giving room to new up-and-coming-bloggers and just focus on “reunions” instead – because isn’t that pretty much what these blogging “conferences” have become?

I’m just askin’.

(And if you get upset by this post, ask yourself WHY??)

Life-condensed

Growing a Little Sun(Flower)

July 30, 2012July 25, 2012 Karen

Writing Stuff

My Ten Favorite Storytelling Rules

July 29, 2012 Karen

At least, according to this article: “The 22 Rules of Storytelling, according to Pixar.”

1. What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?

2. You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.

3. Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

4. When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.

5. Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.

6. Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.

7. No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.

8. Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

9. Take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How do you rearrange them into what you DO like?

10. You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?

Abundant Life

Teaching: The Canon of Scripture: How the Bible was “made,” formed / came to be, The Codex

July 29, 2012May 27, 2012 Karen

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

Thanks for watching.

(Comments have been turned off. The information is here to inform and bless you. God granted you the gift of free will – take it or leave it).

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AudioPlay

This Week’s Earworm

July 27, 2012July 22, 2012 Karen

(Click the blue arrow to play)

I Follow Rivers by Glee Cast

This song makes me feel NEW AGE.

–

(Music – it’s good for the soul. Get up and dance it out – you’ll feel better. :D)

Life

Youngest Son Loses the Braces – or alternatively titled – No More Orthodontist Trips!!

July 27, 2012 Karen

We’ve been going to this one orthodontist on and off for about … ten years now. Dude first went to him when he was in third grade because he had too many teeth and not enough mouth – so we stretched his upper palate and MADE room. He was in braces for a year. We then had to take him back when he started high school and put him back in braces for another three years.

Now he has a mouth full of pearly whites. (Well, they could be whiter).

Jazz’s teeth, on the other hand, weren’t that bad. He had room for all of his teeth and they weren’t really crooked enough to justify braces, (we thought at the time), but he had a pretty noticeable overbite – think bunny bite.

We took him to the dentist. He took a mold of his mouth and showed us what needed to be done – Jazz’s teeth were a little worse than we initially thought.

So, we put him in braces in November 2009.

He was only supposed to have braces for two years … it ended up being two and a half years.

They finally took the braces off yesterday.

I left work and went to his orthodontist’s office so that I could participate in the “embarrass the teenage boy” ceremony. The boys’ orthodontist always plays the “Celebration” song by Kool and the Gang, lines up, claps and makes the kids wear funny hats whenever they have their braces removed. It’s quite the fanfare.

A chance to embarrass my teenage son?!? I wouldn’t have missed that for the world. I told the gals at work I was leaving to witness this momentous occasion and to bite my ass if they didn’t like it. (Okay, I didn’t say that last part, but I meant it because HELLO, family first, ya’ll).

Jazz was happy to see me. I hammed it up and danced along with the song and that only added whip cream to his embarrassed pie. Ha!

He’s happy. He’s happy to have them off. He’s happy to have pretty teeth. He’s happy because he doesn’t have to feel self-conscious about his smile. And I think he’s really looking forward to showing off his pearly whites to his band friends … his GIRL band friends.

I don’t even want to know.

But you know what Jazz told me was the best part about having his braces off now? He could eat popcorn again!

It’s all about priorities, you see.