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I thought John Updike was a helluva writer but I didn’t care for his stories.
You’ll have to read others to hear praise for his novels. I respected his care
with words - carefully selected without a lot of fancy flourishe. Good writing.

He wrote of the mundane - bottling little glimmers of life to get at the truth
of it. When there was time to read him, I was not in the mood for the mundane.
That says more about me than about him or his writing. Perhaps I’ll give
Rabbit another chance - but I’ll have to be in the right mood. With all that
I have to do, those times may not come very readily. We’ll see.

In retrospect one of his writings I most enjoyed was a magazine
piece, Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu, a tribute of sorts to Ted Williams about the
day of his last game with the Boston Red Sox.

Yes, I am a jock and I was then - one of those always was and always will be.
Even jocks can appreciate good writing. This piece explored the complexities
of athletes, athletic heros and the love/hate relationships that frequently
develop around them. I think that Ted Williams and Updike’s Rabbit shared
some of the same qualities that fascinated Updike enough to write about them.

Complexity. How does one write about complexity and do it simply?
Not easily. You must love to write - to be happy enough to continue to write
nurtured and motivated to continue by even the smallest elements of writing.
Writing because you must write. Nurtured by the process and the smallest
elements of the process. The right word. A turn of phrase. Capturing the
essence of a character, fictional or real, without just describing him or her.
And moving the story along in the process. Turning the page but …
begrudgingly, because you want to savor the writing or the wellness of
the story told.

Yes, John Updike was a helluva a writer but, for me, he was a lot like the
Ted Williams he wrote about. Great stats but he never won a pennant or a
world series of writing for me. However, he was a nicer man than the
“Splendid Splinter”, and he had a writing batting average like Ted Williams.

How can one truly give tribute to a great writer? Simply by writing.
Write what you have to as ably as you can - but write. You may not make
the world any better but you will be better for it. And that’s a start.

You may even enjoy it.

Please follow me on Twitter - http://.twitter.com/SeniorTweet. - @Senior Tweet.

Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu
(Author: John Updike ©. Published: 1960-10-22.  Appeared In: The New Yorker.)

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Thanks for coming back to my blog. Please comment and share any ideas, challenges or subject matter you'd like to see covered. Your contributions are valued! - Val

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What an historic time! What a challenging time! So I challenge you to write about it.
How do you feel about today? How are you going to rededicate yourself to making
this world - the world where you live - better? What thing - what small thing can
you do today to make this world a better place?

Where to start? What to do?

Once as a naive college student, I asked the Nigerian Ambassador to the United
Nations, “What can one person do? ” His response was simple yet profound -
“Do whatever you can wherever you are whenever you get the chance.” Small
steps.

As I have gotten older, this senior has taken the “water on stone” approach to
many more things in his life - particularly exercise. Small steps, those drips of
water, that eventually wears away the stone. Whether it be losing weight or any
other challenge that we find personally difficult, very often the size of the
challenge keeps us from getting started - or from continuing when progress is
not quickly seen.

To those of little faith I say, “Water on stone!” Believe in small steps. Believe to
the point of taking action. Persist in the small steps that move you forward.
On this historic day believe as a multi-racial child must have believed - perhaps
not consciously, but instinctively. If I do what I should do - the small steps - the
small drops of water - I will wear away the stones of life that challenge me. Not
knowing the outcome, not knowing how much time you have to do what you must
do - you just drip on those stones.

To those of faith, I say, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall
be impossible unto you!” Today is a day of affirmation. A day to reaffirm your beliefs
and act upon them. No action is too small. Act with faith that if you do as the small
drop of water you too can overcome your challenges.

To all writers I say, “WRITE!” Write as if your life depends on it - it does. It does.
Be selfish in the good sense - write for yourself. Write to yourself. But write. Even
if the writing is nothing but a “tweet” on Twitter. Write! Twitter confines you to
140 characters. Even that limitation is a drop of water. A force to make you think
in brevity. A force to make you choose your words carefully - not a bad practice
for a writer. The world is going to be impacted by those 140 character limited
messages - let some of those drops be yours. Write.

For this writer, the challenge of being brief is an ongoing one. So I will go tweet for
practice and end this post far sooner than I normally would.

I can hear you thanking me now … This big drip has dropped.

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger and “SeniorTweet” on Twitter.

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Thanks to my main “social” mentor, Jack Humphrey, I became aware that
this SeniorTweet was not getting off to a good start in the Twitterverse.
As you can see in the sidebar to the right, Jack’s Blog Success is my
primary promotional website. There is good reason for that but let’s
just address this one: he points me in the right directions.

Jack tweeted a suggestion to check out what kind of Twitter bird I was
being on Twitter. He directed us to Darren Rouse’s TwiTip blog and his
post: Types of Birds on Twitter and How to Be an Eagle.

If you Twitter, read it and answer for yourself what kind of bird you are .
I’ll not confess and you may guess - but after reading this article, I’m going to
become a Twitter bird of a different feather.

On Darren’s TwiTip blog, he also had a Related Post to Jenny Cromie’s
article: 8 Sure-Fire Ways To Tick Off the Twitterverse.

If you already Tweet, these two articles are a good self check to know who
you are on Twitter and how to change your Twitter behavior for better
results.

If you are either new on Twitter or considering getting started, I whole-
heartedly recommend you read these two articles - being forewarned is
being forearmed. Brings to mind Icarus - a bird of a different feather.

On that note and before I fly to high, I will end this post. ( And go Tweet!)

- VS, Tweet Me @SeniorTweet

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Would Shakespeare Twitter?  Probably not.  But I do.  Do you?

Earlier today I got an email from one of my favorite bloggers, Gobala Krishnan. wherein
he somewhat skeptically asked, “Do You Really Use Twitter?”. He has gotten some
interesting responses. Mine may not get published (it was a bit long). However, since
I took the time to respond, I want to get my somewhat creative response published.
So here tis (and it is best read aloud with tongue in cheek).

Having taken the time to read this little ditty, you may be in the mood to be a little
witty.So take out your notebook and put your witticisms in there for future use.
Then, putting your inner critic aside let’s talk, not about Twitter, but about the use
of this little cartoon or image device to repurpose your content and extend the “reach”
of your writing.

Once you learn how (if you don’t already know how) to use the software SnagIt, you
will be able to put your wit and creativity to use multiple times with the same basic
message. However, that message will be in the graphic or cartoon balloon safe from
Google’s critical duplicate content bots. Thus, you are able to just modify the textual
content surrounding the graphic or cartoon to fit the keywords and context of the
new location. Basically, as they say in the repurposing world, “create once, use many”.

By doing this you make more efficient use of your time and creative resources. A
good example of this is the creator of the For Better or Worse comic strip. She no
longer draws the comics. She reuses her old drawings with new dialogue to fit a
new generation.

My cartoon/comic strategy is basically the same only for blogs and not the comics
section.

I use templates (or create new ones) that I then fill in the textual content for the
balloons. The content in the balloons may be reused and modified by the surrounding
content. Or, you can change the content in the balloons as well. For this process
I rely primarily on the Techsmith software, SnagIt. Although I do have my own
cartoon creations and templates to use, one can use the image capture capability
of SnagIt to “snag” any image for use. Remember, copyright laws may apply -
so know your limits (legal and risk-wise.)

So, back to the image - - the use of the bird image is in keeping with the nature
and “tweet” aspects of Twitter. The poetic text is, if not a defense of Twitter and
twittering, it is, at least, a fan’s supportive showing of his reasons for using Twitter.

However, … as poor William turns in his grave, about this play on his words, I
remind you, that it twas meant to be in fun for the edification as well as enjoyment
of the reader. Twas just a poor poor minor minor poet’s possible explanation of why
people Twitter. It’s the human thing to do - a digital rendition - of everyday
conversation in an abbreviated format. (One blessing in disguise … at least it
reduces the obnoxious repetition of that ghastly habit of people prefacing every
other sentence with, “Ya know …”. Thank goodness for small blessings!

Perhaps that is the best way to view Twitter: Thank goodness for small blessings!

- VS
PS: I am working on a tutorial report/video on how to use SnagIt (or other capture
software) for these purposes - stay tuned for its release.

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English teachers use many different strategies to get their students stimulated to write. One of those strategies involves the use of “prompts”. While developing some cartoon content for another of my blogs, Comics Cartoons and Creativity, I thought it might be of interest to all you writers and others interested in the writing process.
So here ’tis with some modification to keep the dup inspectors at bay. I present to you for your enjoyment, “President Obama and his singing critics The Fence Critters. (Preceded by a brief introduction to The Fence Critters for your edification and understanding of the cartoon.)

Our four good friends had the unusual oppoutunity to observe our President-Elect
in one of his more relaxed moments. See if this experience prompts any ideas for
your writing. At the least, this is an example of repurposing one’s content - in this
case a cartoon. Just change the commentary to fit the new context, topic and
keywords and you can be all set. Have a look and tell me what you think with a
comment.

President-Elect Obama singing a song of leadership.

Well … what thoughts or memories, if any, did this little writing prompt demonstration stimulate for you?

Share them in a comment. Your comments are always welcome - critical or kudos.

- VS

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Collections: Writers on Writing - video clips from the PBS Charlie Rose Show:

Writers in the clips:

• John Grisham
• Dorothy Atwood
• Ian McEwan
• Salmon Rushdie

I am a big fan of the Charlie Rose Show on PBS. However, being on the West
Coast, the show times aren’t always convenient (noon and midnight - Pacific)
The reason I mention this is that it was in the process of getting the show’s
(who is on) schedule online that I came across the Video Clips Collection.

The point of this post: Watch the collection of  ”Writers on Writing“.

Although the clips are short, I am sure you’ll glean a nugget or two and, possibly,
even a bit of motivation from them. Or, at the least, some measure of reaffirmation.
Most bloggers will get a sense of that from Grisham’s clip on “Stealing”. (As if they need it.) Repurposing?

I was struck by the similarity of viewing these clips to reading blog posts.
Kind of like getting finger food when you are really hungry for a full meal -
but much better than a “tweet” … or two … or three. (I’m not dissing - just comparing.)

Take a look and let me know if you got anything out of them - remember …
the comparison I made was to “finger food”.

 Collections: Writers on Writing

 - VS, Blogmeister, Senior Writer Blog.

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While working on another new blog, Comics Cartoons and Creativity, I got this kind
of strange idea. Because I was in the graphics mode with the cartoon example I was
creating, I created this little balloon to capture the thought …

There is an old memory cliche, “The dullest pencil is sharper than the sharpest mind.”
Well, whether that is true or not, you get the idea. But taking notes and being
organized is not what this post is about. (I am sure all you writers and would-be
writers all have your own system of capturing your great ideas.(???)

What struck me was the rediculousness of the thought. Or, the impossibility of the
thought. Sorry sci-fiers and precogs, until I am able to do it myself I can only model
“The Mentalist” of new TV fame - being an astute observer and a student of human
behavior. Having been a professional negotiator and mediator, my chances at being
like him are much better than being a precog myself.

Unfortunately, I am more in the realm of Mickey Mantle who is said to have
remarked, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I would’ve taken better care of
myself.” (Pardon me if my thinking appears a bit disjointed - I think I may be getting
arthritis of the mind.)

So much for the mind - now to the repurposing. The graphic and text above was just
used in a post to my Mister Senior Blogger blog. The key thing for repurposing is to
be a good editor as well as a decent writer. Whether it involves your own writing or
repurposing/editing that of other writers, the key is in changing, not only the words,
but the style. Use your own voice (no matter how hoarse it is). Imagination helps
but it most important that you keep in mind both your audience and the purpose of
your writing. Make it fit within the scope and feel of your own blog. Be true to
yourself as well as your audience.

You will have to confer with your own sense of morality and honor as to how much
you rely on the other’s talents and how much value you add on your own.

In this post I have just followed my own advice with my own content and changed
it enough in focus and style to be of value to my audience and true to what they
can rightly expect when coming to this site. (And, to satisfy G–gle.)

At the least, I try to make my content amusing to myself - it keeps me at the
keyboard longer and with more enthusiasm. Like most writers I waver between
writing for myself and writing for others. It’s really just the story. Or, the post.
You be the judge. I hope you enjoy the effort enough to come back again and
see if I am able to improve what I do. However it comes to be described by others.

- VS

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