I've talked a lot about writing this month, so this week, I thought I'd throw in some more photography stuff.

I've actually had these links for some time, but I have never gotten around to either sharing them or even actually trying them myself.  Still, I've never let a lack of personal experience with something stop me from recommending it to others, so I don't see why I should keep me from sharing these two links.

First, there's a tutorial on how...
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There are no excuses for not writing.

Even though I make excuses all the time.
The biggest excuse, or "writerly lie", that I tell myself is that I don't have enough time.  But, honestly, that's bullshit.  Because, as it turns out, I always have enough time to drop whatever I'm doing to serve someone else.  I don't make time for myself and make my writing, or photography, priorities.  My creative pursuits are the first thing to drop by the wayside when I...
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Looks like the free LogMeIn option is going away.

So far this year, I'm a little behind on my creative goals.

As you may remember, a couple of weeks ago, I posted my Creative Resolutions for the year.
I encouraged you all to do the same, but to make them goals, rather than unobtainable resolutions.  For me, one of those goals was to do more writing in general, and more fiction writing in particular.  It's hard to get back into that habit, but I am working on it, little by little. ...
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One-page short-cuts to basic photographic knowledge.

Well, after last week, I can tell you that I'm eager to get out and get shooting!
But, I'm also really rusty.  I mean, it's been so long since I was shooting photos regularly that I'm not sure I know an aperture from an f-stop!  It's bad.  Really bad.  Thankfully, I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one, because the fine people at the Photo Argus shared a post filled with links to Photography Cheat...
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No, I don't mean New Year's Resolutions that are "creative".

Rather, I'm talking about making some New Year's Resolutions regarding creative output.
I'll be honest, this year hasn't been my most productive, creatively.  But, to be fair, I did get married and merge my life with another person's and that did take a lot of time and no small amount of effort, for both of us.  I think marriage is a pretty good excuse for not being as productively creative as one...
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Christmas is over and the New Year looms near!

Traditionally, this time of year is when we review our lives and find fault with everything we didn't accomplish in the preceding year, then make ridiculous promises to ourselves about how we're going to do better in the coming year.  We call them "New Year's Resolutions", but most of them don't last more than a month.  At least, mine almost never have, with few exceptions.  So, here's an idea for you; this...
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I do this every year.

I guess I'm just a kid at heart, because I feel the need to link to the Official NORAD Santa Tracker every year.
I doubt most of the readers of either of my blogs either bother with this because they don't have kids, or they already know about it because, well, they're geeks like me and have kids.  Still, the old softie in me can't help but get warm feelings when I think about the possibility of...
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I'm not one who's all that huge on inspirational writing or self-help books.

But, I have to admit, as I get older, I've learned to appreciate the more spiritual side of that particular market.

I've read Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl.  In fact, I was reading it when I was waiting to be diagnosed with cancer back in 2007.  It was pretty timely.  And, yes, I've read Napoleon Hill's classic Think And Grow Rich, but I'll be honest, I didn't find...
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..And deeper in debt!

So, it's my birthday again. It seems like they just keep coming, like an on-rushing train in that proverbial tunnel where the light isn't quite what we think it will be when it arrives. Honestly, it seems kind of impossible to me that I'm still chugging along, but, according to the actuarial tables, I should expect about another 30-odd years of life. Which is a good thing because, in spite of being statistically middle-aged, I come from...
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