Say Thanks: 4th Day of Christmas

Here we go with my suggestion for the 4th Day of Christmas, and it's not 4 Calling Birds. Give appreciation to a soldier stationed far away from home. It won't cost you even a penny, and it's easy to do.

Quantifiable Results Of Kindness

Scientists have done studies where brain function and hormone levels are measured after giving something to someone. They were surprised to find that the act of giving something to someone else is quantifiable, thus measurable. Receiving a gift releases all kinds of good hormones.

Not Just The Recipient

Guess what? Not just the recipient benefits from an act of giving. The same physiological changes are induced in the giver as well. Give to feel better.

Price Range: Free!

Visit Lets Say Thanks and follow the easy procedures to send a thank you card to a soldier. You can't pick out who gets it. All you'll know is that you may just make someone's day, in a very good way.

Takeaway Truth

Give appreciation to someone who really deserves it. You'll feel good, and so will the person on the other end of the kindness transaction.

Books of Quotations: 3rd Day Of Christmas

Quote for the Week

T. Guillemets said: "Most collectors collect tangibles. As a quotation collector, I collect wisdom, life, invisible beauty, souls alive in ink."

(On the 3rd day of Christmas, I apologize for my non-edited draft that was published this morning. I was waylaid by decorating yesterday and today, and I have the sore, aching muscles to prove it!)

Actually, this 3rd Day of Christmas is Sunday, and that means it's Written Wisdom day. The quotation above is the gift suggestion for today: shop for a great book of quotations. Look for a book that represents a broad spectrum of people who are quoted with quotes in a lot of subject areas.

Here are a couple of suggestions. Price Range: Low

1001 Funniest Things Ever Said. I like quotations, and when they make me laugh, I really like them and tend to use them in writing and conversation.

The Girl's Book of Positive Quotations uses a practical, theme-based arrangement. Each chapter begins with a one-page reading on topics such as Friendship, Self-Confidence, Risk-taking, Helping Others, or Adjusting to Change. That's followed by related quotes by women as diverse as JK Rowling, Helen Keller, and Kelly Clarkson with hundreds more from every walk of life.

Takeaway Truth

An anthology of quotations is a must have for every writer, indeed, for every non-writer too.

Save on Writer's Christmas Ornament

Hey, everyone! I've been getting sales reports on the Christmas Ornament I featured as a must-have for writers. If you want it, save some money by going directly to my shop The Write Way where it's only $7.99.

If you go to the main page at Cafe Press and buy it through the Marketplace, you'll pay $12.00 because, I guess, they tack on more so they have a bigger cut.

Takeaway Truth

Save wherever and whenever you can.

Keyboards: 2nd Day of Christmas

On the 2nd Day of Christmas, your true love - or whomever - sent to you. . . . a keyboard to make your writing life easier.

Here are a few suggestions that address the issues most common to those who sit at a computer all day. I'll give one example and a place to buy it, but just use the name of the keyboard or its descriptive phrase as a search string if you want to try to find it cheaper.

My Money Scale

For all the gifts suggested, I use the following scale:

0 to $20.00 is low.
$21.00 to $40.00 is medium.
$41.00 to $100.00 is high.
$101.00 and above is someone really, really loves you.

Reduce Mouse Abuse

Price Range: Medium.

Frequent reaching for the mouse strains the neck/shoulder/back complex of muscles and can send them, and you, into spasms of pain. This keyboard is one solution. The Ergonomic Multimedia Keyboard with Built-in Optical Trackball comes in USB or Wireless versions. The USB is $79.95 and the Wireless is $99.95.

Use the onboard trackball to reduce strain on those muscles.

For Writers In The Dark

Price Range: Low to Medium

I work at night a lot, but I hate to turn on a lamp because I don't want to wake the rest of the household who are all light sleepers. An illuminated or backlit keyboard is the solution. You can find several options on the website.

Cold Hands, Warm Typos

Price Range: Low to High

My hands get awfully cold in the winter. I find a lot of women have this problem. The solution is a heated wrist pad ($19.95) or a heated keyboard like the V8WK001 Heated Computer Keyboard ($55.40).

Takeaway Truth

Write better by working smarter with better tools.

Ornament For Writers: 1st Day Of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, your true love - or someone - sent to you. . . a Holiday Ornament designed just for writers.

In the interest of disclosure, this Christmas Ornament For Writers is designed by me and sold in The Write Way, my Cafe Press shop.

My Price Scale

All suggestions will follow this general pricing structure:

$0 to $20.00 - Low
$21.00 to $40.00 - Medium
$41.00 to $100.00 - High
$101.00 to Sky's The Limit - Wow! Someone really loves you!

Just For Writers

Price Range: Low.

Sales of this porcelain ornament usually don't start until December, but this year, orders were being placed in early November. This is a perennial favorite in The Write Way where you'll find T-shirts, coffee mugs, journals, and more designed by a writer (me) for writers. Each item was created to please writers and to be used to promote their writing and their careers.

Description

Writers need a Christmas ornament that celebrates their gift to the world. This porcelain oval is perfect! Get one for yourself and one for a friend! Handmade oval ornament of high quality porcelain. It measures 2.3" x 3.25" with red ribbon included for hanging.

Takeaway Truth

Be proud of what you do. Love what you do. Celebrate your contribution of words.

Christmas Gifts For Writers

As I reported on my other blog, I've had undependable Internet service since before Thanksgiving. That's why my Christmas gift suggestions for writers, which normally starts on Dec. 1, has been delayed until today.

12 Days of Christmas

Starting tomorrow, for the next 12 days (Dec. 4 - 15), I'll give gift suggestions keyed to what writers want or what they would like. We writers are easy to buy for if you know where to shop. I've looked around and have a selection of gifts whose prices range from low to high, so there's something for every budget. Remember though, you, the writer, must drop the hints to the appropriate people in your life.

Dropping Hints

1. Leave the blog open so it appears on your monitor screen. That way your significant other or kids may happen to see it when they come to bother you - uh, I mean - to ask you when dinner's ready.

2. Print out the blog. Make several copies and leave them lying about.

3. Have conversations that begin with: "I was reading SlingWords, my favorite blog, the other day and saw this wonderful gift idea for writers. It even included the URL." If your loved ones are hint resistant, wistfully add, "I wish I had that."

4. Heck. Just order it for yourself and put a tag on it from the one who should have bought it for you in the first place.

Takeaway Truth

Gift giving is easy when one knows what to purchase.

Kindle Test At Community College

Houston Community College has been running a pilot program using the Kindle instead of printed textbooks in some of their English and philosophy courses.

Local Paper

I learned about this from the Houston Chronicle, Fort Bend Edition. I was amused by the remarks attributed to professor Doug Rowlett, Ph.D., Instructional Design Coordinator/English professor. In the article, Rowlett described the Kindle this way: "The e-ink (electronic paper) technology works like an Etch-a-Sketch device."

Maybe the toy connection is why we writers like to embrace gadgets like the Kindle. I mean, I loved my Etch-a-Sketch. I even watched a program last week on toys that told how that cunning little device works.

The rest of the article gave the basics of how the Kindle works. All you Net denizens know this so I won't waste time on those specs.

At the end of the semester, the students involved and the teachers will render an analysis to see if the Kindle should be made available for other classes. Apparently, some conclusion has already been reached since they already plan to make Kindle available for science classes next semester.

Takeaway Truth

I hear the death knell sounding for hard copy textbooks. The strained backs of students, past and present, will thank you.